Farm Group Strikes Right-to-Repair Deal With Deere
Farm operators and independent repair shops gain negotiated access to Deere tools, software, and documentation.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Agriculture
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The American Farm Bureau Federation signed a memorandum of understanding with John Deere on right-to-repair issues, announced at its annual convention in Puerto Rico. Under the agreement, Deere will give farmers and independent repair facilities electronic access to tools, software, and documentation on "fair and reasonable" terms, and the Federation will encourage state Farm Bureaus to refrain from promoting right-to-repair legislation.
Why it matters
The deal lets equipment owners pursue repairs without waiting on legislation, with the Federation choosing to work directly with a manufacturer rather than push for laws. Farmers have sought the ability to keep machinery running without needing access to manufacturer data, a recurring cost and downtime issue in farm equipment.
The memorandum commits John Deere to review with the American Farm Bureau Federation at least twice per year and was developed through discussions that began in 2019. The stub does not give figures on how many farms or repair facilities the access commitments cover.
The players
American Farm Bureau Federation
The largest U.S. general farm organization, which advocates for farm operators' policy interests and coordinates a network of state Farm Bureaus.
John Deere
The agricultural equipment manufacturer whose tractors and combines are a major part of U.S. farm machinery, and which sells repair parts, software, and service to farmers.
The details
Under the memorandum, John Deere will provide farmers or their representatives electronic access to its tools, specialty tools, software, and documentation, along with access to a customer service advisor. The agreement separates the right to repair from the right to modify, so the access commitments cover repair work rather than changes to equipment. The Federation will encourage state-level Farm Bureaus to recognize these commitments, and the two parties will meet at least twice a year to review how the memorandum is working.
Timeline
2019: Discussions that led to the memorandum began.
November 3, 2026: The memorandum was announced at the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention in Puerto Rico.
Market Landscape
The agreement is a negotiated alternative to state-level right-to-repair bills, which the Federation has now agreed not to promote. Whether other manufacturers adopt similar terms will determine whether this becomes an industry pattern.
Farm operators should check whether their equipment dealers can provide the electronic tools, software, and documentation needed for repairs under these terms. Operators with equipment repair budgets may want to ask suppliers how the access commitments apply to their own machines.
The takeaway
The agreement shows an industry group choosing negotiated access terms over legislative pressure, a model operators may see copied by other manufacturers. Farm businesses should track the twice-yearly review outcomes and ask equipment vendors, or a qualified legal advisor, how the commitments apply to their specific purchases.
Further reading
For related coverage of farm operations and equipment, see Agriculture in our business section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Farm Progress.
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