For eight years, one of the most critical consumer right cases in the U.S.A. has been fought between John Deere on one side, and farmers on the other. And the farmers have won.
In short, it resembles the battle that iPhone users have had in regards to screen repairs, as John Deere has argued that their machines are their intellectual property, and that and independent repair shops pose a security and safety risk, and that repairs and diagnosing broken machines via simple software solutions can only be done by John Deere personnel and official authorised dealerships. At the same time, the Federal Trade Commission has sued John Deere for illegal anti-competitive practices in regards to repairs. This has been one of the largest and most significant cases of big corporate versus every-day user.
John Deere has lost in federal court, with the courts noticing a vast overcharge on repairs and a de facto monopoly. The farmers have been awarded $99 million in compensation, but more importantly, John Deere, who is one of the biggest suppliers of agricultural machines on the market, are forced to provide diagnostic and repair software for 10 years, and are no longer allowed to lock independent shops out of accessing mandatory systems and software. As official points of service are easily hundreds of miles away, and waiting time for on-site support means loss of crops, this is a massive win long term for American farmers.