Right to Repair
John Deere and its rivals lock farmers into dealer-only repairs through DRM. We cover the legal fights, the hackers, and the lawmakers pushing back.
A modern tractor is a computer that happens to pull a plow, and the software inside it belongs to the manufacturer — not the farmer who paid six figures to own the machine. When a sensor fails mid-harvest, proprietary diagnostic locks can force growers to wait days for an authorized dealer instead of making the kind of repair farmers handled themselves for a century.
Right to repair is the fight to change that. It pits growers, independent mechanics, and repair advocates against equipment makers whose service revenue depends on the lock-in. The pressure has produced voluntary manufacturer commitments, Federal Trade Commission scrutiny, and a wave of state-level repair bills — but promises on paper have repeatedly fallen short of tools farmers can actually use.
This pillar tracks the legislation, the litigation, and the workarounds. We cover which repair bills advance and which die quietly, what the manufacturers actually deliver versus announce, and how growers keep their machines running while the law catches up.
John Deere's Right-to-Repair Settlement: A Win for Farmers
After an FTC antitrust lawsuit, John Deere must share repair tools and software with farmers for 10 years, ending decades of equipment monopoly control.
Poultry Farmers Lose Payment Protections in USDA Rollback
The USDA is rescinding rules that protected 20,000 contracted farmers from predatory payment practices in a $45 billion industry dominated by four companies.
FTC Forces Deere to Unlock 10-Year Right to Repair Win
Federal Trade Commission settles antitrust suit with John Deere, guaranteeing farmers access to repair codes, parts, and independent technicians through 2036.
The Deere Settlement Isn't the Finish Line — It's a 10-Year Clock
The FTC's landmark right-to-repair settlement with John Deere sounds like a win. But it expires in a decade, covers one manufacturer, and doesn't touch state law — which is why Minnesota farmers are already fighting the next battle.
Seed Patents Lock Out Farmers From Breeding Innovation
DOJ reveals that patented seeds and genetic monopolies restrict farmer breeding rights and block competition, paralleling the John Deere fight for equipment access.
John Deere loses right-to-repair fight
FTC forces Deere to hand over diagnostic tools and repair manuals for 10 years. A major win for farmers fighting equipment monopolies.
FTC Wins Right-to-Repair Deal: Farmers Can Fix Their Own Deeres
After an 18-month antitrust fight, the FTC secured a landmark settlement requiring John Deere to open repair access to farmers and independent shops for a decade.
After 18 Months, Deere Settles: Farmers Win Right to Repair
The FTC forced John Deere to share diagnostic software and repair manuals with farmers. A decade-long battle finally closes.
John Deere's FTC Loss is Farmers' Right-to-Repair Win
After a 18-month antitrust battle, the FTC just forced Deere to hand farmers the repair tools they've been locked out of. A decade of diagnostic access ahead.
Deere Settlement: A $99M Win for Farmer Repair Rights
John Deere agreed to give farmers access to diagnostic tools for a decade. What the settlement means for equipment independence and what's left to fight.
Meatpackers Pocketed $500M in Tax Breaks—Then Consolidated Anyway
States and cities spent half a billion to attract meat processing plants. Instead, just eight companies now dominate the industry, and rural plants keep closing.
Supreme Court Shields Pesticide Makers from State Warnings
A 7-2 ruling protects federal EPA authority over product labels, blocking states from requiring pesticide cancer warnings. Thousands of Roundup lawsuits hang in the balance.
Schumer Pushes Bill to Break Up Meatpacking Monopoly
Sen. Schumer's Family Grocery and Farmer Relief Act targets the four companies that control 85% of beef and lock farmers into bad prices.
DOJ Opens Antitrust Probe of the Big Four Meatpackers
The Justice Department confirmed an antitrust probe of major beef processors in May, calling for whistleblowers as ranchers face persistent market consolidation.
The Feds Are Suing John Deere Over Your Right to Fix Your Own Tractor
The FTC and two states sued Deere over repair-restriction practices that force farmers to dealers. It's the biggest right-to-repair fight in ag — here's what's at stake.