Thu, 16 Jan 2025

FTC sues Deere, alleging equipment repair 'monopoly' raises costs for farmers

The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against agricultural equipment giant Deere & Company, alleging it holds a monopoly on repair services.

* The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sued Deere & Company, an agricultural equipment giant, for allegedly holding a monopoly on repair services for farmers.
* The lawsuit claims that Deere's software tool "Service ADVISOR" is necessary to fully fix equipment and can only be accessed by authorized dealers, hindering customers' ability to repair their own equipment.
* The FTC alleges that authorized dealers often use Deere-branded parts instead of generic ones, adding to Deere's profits.
* The lawsuit seeks to make Service ADVISOR and other necessary repair resources available to Deere customers and independent repair providers.
* Deere & Company has released a statement denying the allegations, stating that it has introduced new innovations and resources to support customers and independent repair technicians.
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