John Deere: Difference between revisions
m Added Wikipedia link |
expanded incidents section and fixed references |
||
| (16 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{InfoboxCompany | {{InfoboxCompany | ||
| Name = John Deere | | Name = John Deere | ||
| Type = Public | |||
| Founded = 1837 | | Founded = 1837 | ||
| Industry = Agricultural machinery, Heavy equipment | | Industry = Agricultural machinery, Heavy equipment | ||
| Official Website = | | Official Website = https://deere.com/ | ||
| Logo = John Deere logo.png | | Logo = John Deere logo.png | ||
}} | }} | ||
== Consumer | '''[[wikipedia:John Deere|John Deere]]''' is a leading manufacturer of agricultural and heavy machinery. Founded in 1837, they are primarily known for their heavy-duty agriculture machines, such as tractors and combines. They have recently faced criticism for their business practices, especially in the realm of equipment repair. These practices have raised concerns among farmers, independent repair technicians, and consumer-advocacy groups.<ref name="jdflrtrt">{{Cite web |last=Selyukh |first=Alina |date=16 Jan 2025 |title=John Deere faces U.S. lawsuit over farmers' ability to repair tractors |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/nx-s1-5260895/john-deere-ftc-lawsuit-right-to-repair-tractors |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=www.npr.org}}</ref> | ||
==Consumer impact summary== | |||
[[File:John deere doc.png|thumb|524x524px|Front Page of the FTC's Suit Against John Deere<ref name="DCRCCN325">https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/DeereCoREDACTEDComplaintCaseNo325-cv-50017.pdf</ref>]] | [[File:John deere doc.png|thumb|524x524px|Front Page of the FTC's Suit Against John Deere<ref name="DCRCCN325">https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/DeereCoREDACTEDComplaintCaseNo325-cv-50017.pdf</ref>]] | ||
==== Repairability ==== | ====Repairability==== | ||
* John Deere limits access to essential repair software and diagnostic tools.<ref name="dith3">https://pirg.org/resources/deere-in-the-headlights-3/</ref> | *John Deere limits access to essential repair software and diagnostic tools.<ref name="dith3">{{Cite web |date=5 Feb 2021 |title=Deere in the Headlights |url=https://pirg.org/resources/deere-in-the-headlights-3/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=pirg.org}}</ref> | ||
* Restrictive policies prevent farmers from performing repairs or using independent repair shops, forcing them to rely on authorized dealerships.<ref name="jdflrtrt" /> | *Restrictive policies prevent farmers from performing repairs or using independent repair shops, forcing them to rely on authorized dealerships.<ref name="jdflrtrt" /> | ||
* Farmers have reported being unable to fix minor mechanical issues without John Deere's proprietary tools.<ref name="fssdcp">https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-states-sue-deere-company-protect-farmers-unfair-corporate-tactics-high-repair-costs</ref> | *Farmers have reported being unable to fix minor mechanical issues without John Deere's proprietary tools.<ref name="fssdcp">{{Cite web |date=15 Jan 2025 |title=FTC, States Sue Deere & Company to Protect Farmers from Unfair Corporate Tactics, High Repair Costs |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-states-sue-deere-company-protect-farmers-unfair-corporate-tactics-high-repair-costs |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=[[FTC]]}}</ref> | ||
* John Deere has allegedly unlawfully inflated repair costs by controlling the repair-service market. | *John Deere has allegedly unlawfully inflated repair costs by controlling the repair-service market. | ||
==== Monopoly | ====Monopoly on repairs==== | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li> John Deere's control over the repair market has been likened to monopolistic behavior.</li> | <li> John Deere's control over the repair market has been likened to monopolistic behavior.</li> | ||
<li> By restricting and controlling access to repair resources and parts, the company has effectively eliminated competition in the repair market.<ref>https://www.courthousenews.com/ftc-accuses-john-deere-of-unlawful-equipment-repair-practices/</ref></li> | <li> By restricting and controlling access to repair resources and parts, the company has effectively eliminated competition in the repair market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Byrnes |first=Dave |date=15 Jan 2025 |title=FTC accuses John Deere of unlawful equipment repair practices |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/ftc-accuses-john-deere-of-unlawful-equipment-repair-practices/ |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=Courthouse News Service}}</ref></li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
==== Digital | ====Digital rights and ownership==== | ||
*John Deere uses software locks and [[digital rights management]] (DRM) systems that control user autonomy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 Jul 2023 |title=Service Obstructor: John Deere software restricts farmer repair |url=https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/john-deere-repair-software/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=pirg.org}}</ref> | |||
*These measures prevent farmers and independent repair technicians from completing repairs without access to the proprietary software.<ref name="dith3" /> | |||
====Opposition to right-to-repair legislation==== | |||
* John Deere | *John Deere has actively lobbied against [[Right to repair|right-to-repair]] legislation in multiple states, and on the federal level.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 Nov 2024 |title=John Deere and Right to Repair over the years |url=https://pirg.org/resources/john-deere-and-right-to-repair-over-the-years/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=pirg.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bamberg |first=Jennifer |date=17 Apr 2024 |title=Farmers’ long fight for the Right to Repair gets little traction in John Deere’s home state of Illinois |url=https://wisconsinwatch.org/2024/04/midwest-farmers-right-to-repair-agriculture-john-deere-illinois/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=Wisconsin Watch}}</ref> | ||
*Despite signing a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation in 2023, the company has been accused of undermining the spirit of the agreement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dickey |first=Dave |date=12 Nov 2024 |title=Is John Deere’s day of reckoning soon at hand? |url=https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/12/is-john-deeres-day-of-reckoning-soon-at-hand/#:~:text=In%20a%20nutshell%3A%20Deere%20embeds%20authorization%20codes%20in,dealers%20have%20access%20to%20all%20the%20verification%20codes. |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=Investigate Midwest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=10 Jan 2023 |title=John Deere memo: Farmers have NOT won, but that won't stop the news from pretending they did. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-RgOUT3zeo |url-status=live |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> | |||
== | ==Incidents== | ||
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]]. | |||
== | ===FTC Lawsuit (January 2025)=== | ||
On January 15, 2025, the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) filed a lawsuit against John Deere, alleging anticompetitive practices in the repair market.<ref name="fssdcp" /><ref name="DCRCCN325" /> The lawsuit claims that: | |||
*John Deere unlawfully inflated repair costs by monopolizing the repair-service market. | |||
*The company's restrictive policies violated consumer-protection laws and limited farmers' ability to maintain their equipment. | |||
=== Security flaws === | |||
{{Main|John Deere security flaws exposed sensitive customer information}} | |||
A number of security flaws in the software [[John Deere|'''John Deere''']] provided could have allowed hackers to find and download the personal data of all owners of the company’s farming vehicles and equipment. John Deere downplayed the impact while simultaneously increasing their security practices, as security jobs opened and they started to partner up with security researchers. | |||
== References == | === Lobbying against right to repair === | ||
{{Main|John Deere dealerships are lobbying against right to repair}} | |||
John Deere dealerships lobbyied against a right to repair bill that was discussed in Maine, stating a number of reasons. They question the definition of a motor vehicle, and regarding the legislation if it should apply to motor vehicles due to what they call safety concerns. One of dealers argues that right to repair is a touchy subject, as "a lot of us dealers sit back, and say we really almost don't want in essence people possibly working on our equipment." | |||
==References== | |||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
[[Category:John Deere]] | [[Category:John Deere]] | ||