After years of complaints about “unlawful” repairability policies, the FTC is suing tractor manufacturer Deere & Company. Repairability advocates are calling it a milestone for consumer rights.

Anti-paywall link: https://www.wired.com/story/ftc-sues-john-deere-over-repairability/

Today the US Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against farming equipment manufacturer Deere & Company—makers of the iconic green John Deere tractors, harvesters, and mowers—citing its longtime reluctance to keep its customers from fixing their own machines.

“Farmers rely on their agricultural equipment to earn a living and feed their families,” FTC chair Lina Khan wrote in a statement alongside the full complaint. “Unfair repair restrictions can mean farmers face unnecessary delays during tight planting and harvest windows.”

  • AnonomousWolf@lemm.ee
    5·
    2 days ago

    Why don’t farmers switch to them? I assume there are laws preventing it, it sounds like JD have a monopoly in the US else farmers would switch

    • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world
      2·
      22 hours ago

      Are you asking why American farmers who want to repair their own stuff don’t switch to European equipment?

      All the parts would be in metric!

    • jqubed@lemmy.world
      5·
      2 days ago

      IIRC a mixture of inertia (“we’ve always used John Deere”) and some specialty equipment/attachments that only they make and would not necessarily work with other brands

      • AnonomousWolf@lemm.ee
        5·
        2 days ago

        At some point continuing to use a product that abuses you is just your own fault.

        I hope a movement starts where they start switching, JD will conform very quickly if their sales tank.