LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- A federal court on Monday granted preliminary approval to John Deere's proposed antitrust settlement with farmers who filed right-to-repair lawsuits, giving producers until September 2026 to file objections.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Northern Illinois on Monday granted preliminary approval to Deere's proposed $99 million settlement to resolve numerous farmer-initiated lawsuits filed in 2022. Those lawsuits alleged the company monopolized the repair market by limiting farmers' access to diagnostic tools for equipment they own.

The court found on Monday the proposed settlement meets all legal requirements and is likely to be granted final approval.

"Subject to further consideration at the fairness hearing, the court finds that the settlement encompassed by the settlement agreement is fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of the settlement class, raises no obvious reasons to doubt its fairness, and raises a reasonable basis for presuming that the settlement and its terms satisfy the requirements of due process," the court said in its ruling.

Producers have until Sept. 14, 2026, to object to the settlement ahead of a fairness hearing scheduled for Oct. 29, 2026.

When contacted for comment on the court's approval, Deere referred DTN to the following statement issued on April 6, 2026, by Denver Caldwell, vice president, aftermarket and customer support for Deere:

"As we continue to innovate industry-leading equipment and technology solutions supported by our world-class dealer network, we are equally committed to providing customers and other service providers with access to repair resources. We're pleased that this resolution allows us to move forward and remain focused on what matters most -- serving our customers."

The multidistrict right-to-repair litigation was filed by at least 17 farms in multiple states.

As part of the settlement, Deere agrees to deposit funds into a class settlement fund, to be distributed to class members through a court-approved distribution plan.

Payouts will be based solely on overcharges on repair labor hours billed by Deere authorized dealers and will not cover farmer downtime or time lost, parts or parts markups or any crop losses or other consequential damages.

In addition, Deere will be making tools available that will "enable farmers and IRPs (independent repair shops) to diagnose and repair problems without having to use the services of an authorized dealer," according to a memorandum filed in court.

The proposed settlement covers all persons and entities that purchased repair services from Deere between Jan. 10, 2018, and the date of the court's preliminary approval of the settlement.

The settlement would require John Deere to provide relief for a 10-year period by no later than Dec. 31, 2026.

The $99 million settlement fund would be used to pay eligible class members and reimburse attorneys for costs, fees and expenses related to the settlement. It would allow farmer class members to preserve their right to sue John Deere for damages and/or to exclude themselves from the settlement.

"In addition to injunctive relief, the settlement provides for substantial monetary relief," according to a memorandum filed in the case.

By the time of distribution, the total settlement fund amount will exceed $100 million, according to the memorandum. "This represents a monetary recovery ranging from 26% to 53% of overcharge damages, far more than the typical antitrust settlement, which is 5% to 15%," the memorandum stated.

The memorandum also gives insight into the willingness on both sides of the case to continue the litigation.

Based on documents provided by John Deere during discovery, according to the memo, the farmer class size is estimated to be "well in excess of 200,000 farmers."

The settlement does not end an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission and joined by states in January 2025. That case, which is also in the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern Illinois, is pending.

Read more on DTN:

"Deere Settles Repair Lawsuit for $99M," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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