John Deere's controversial practice that requires farmers to use its dealer network for repairs draws a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission

The lawsuit comes after years of the equipment manufacturer locking farmers out of making basic repairs to their equipment.

The Federal Trade Commission sued Deere, alleging the tractor maker limits farmers’ ability to repair their own equipment, giving Deere an illegal monopoly on repair services. The FTC’s lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Chicago federal court,

The lawsuit against the maker of John Deere tractors represents a final push in the Biden administration’s broader efforts to make repairs less costly for consumers.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday sued farm equipment maker Deere, alleging it illegally drives up repair costs by forcing farmers to rely on its authorized dealer network. The administration of Joe Biden has targeted what it sees as anti-competitive practices in agriculture,

Illegal repair restrictions can be devastating for farmers, who rely on affordable and timely repairs to harvest their crops and earn their income,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said

The states of Minnesota and Illinois have joined the Federal Trade Commission in suing farm equipment manufacturer John Deere. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says they have filed a lawsuit against Deere & Company over its use of unfair practices that have driven up equipment repair costs for farmers while also depriving farmers of the ability to make timely repairs on critical farming equipment,