Minnesota Farmers Union and AG Ellison Tout Landmark John Deere Right-to-Repair Settlement at FarmFest

MORGAN, Minn. — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) gathered at FarmFest on Wednesday to highlight the realworld impacts of a major antitrust settlement with agricultural giant John Deere.
The press conference, held at noon at the Minnesota Farmers Union booth, focused on Ellison’s July 2026 settlement with the company. The legal victory successfully secured farmers and independent repair shops the essential tools, diagnostic software, and parts needed to fix their own equipment.
For years, farmers across Minnesota faced steep financial hurdles and frustrating delays when machinery broke down. Deere previously restricted access to proprietary repair software, forcing growers to rely exclusively on authorized dealership networks that were often distant and expensive.
"Farmers need to be able to fix their own equipment when it breaks down, without being forced into costly and distant authorized dealer networks," officials noted regarding the impact of the new agreement.
A Win for Independent Repair
The July settlement stems from a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Ellison challenging Deere's restrictive repair policies. By compelling the company to make diagnostic tools commercially available, the agreement marks a monumental milestone for the national "Right to Repair" movement, championed heavily by grassroots agricultural organizations like the MFU.
Voices from the Field
At today's event, MFU President Gary Wertish joined Attorney General Ellison alongside local farmers. The growers shared firsthand accounts of how the previous repair monopolies strained their operations during crit-ical seasons, and how the newfound freedom to utilize local independent mechanics—or perform repairs in their own barns—will save time and money.
For more information on the Attorney General’s ongoing consumer advocacy and initiatives, visit KeithEllison.org