Deere Must Face FTC's Antitrust Lawsuit Over Repair Costs, US Judge Rules (reuters.com) 20
Agriculture equipment giant Deere must face a lawsuit by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission accusing the company of forcing farmers to use its authorized dealer network and driving up their costs for parts and repairs, a U.S. judge has ruled. From a report: U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston in the federal court in Rockford, Illinois on Monday ruled for now to reject, opens new tab Deere's effort to end the lawsuit, which was filed at the end of Democratic President Joe Biden's administration in January.
The lawsuit alleges Deere is violating federal antitrust law by controlling too tightly where and how farmers can get their equipment repaired, allowing the Illinois-based company to charge artificially higher prices. The FTC was joined in its lawsuit by Michigan, Wisconsin and three other U.S. states.
The lawsuit alleges Deere is violating federal antitrust law by controlling too tightly where and how farmers can get their equipment repaired, allowing the Illinois-based company to charge artificially higher prices. The FTC was joined in its lawsuit by Michigan, Wisconsin and three other U.S. states.
"opens new tab Deere's effort to end the lawsuit," (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Bad copy/paste. There is a link in the sentence that will open in a new tabl.
The quote should have said:
U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston in the federal court in Rockford, Illinois on Monday ruled for now to reject Deere’s effort to end the lawsuit, which was filed at the end of Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration in January.
Video on what these bastards are doing to farmers (Score:5, Informative)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaOS6bGta7M
Re:Video on what these bastards are doing to farme (Score:5, Informative)
Like the farmer in the video I have resorted to purchasing older products that I can repair. A few years back I bought window fans make back in the 60s because I was tired of the non-repairable junk I had to replace every year or two. Those metal window fans are built like tanks and easily fixed when the time comes. My cars are older as well. My engine was recently running rough. I diagnosed it to a faulty EGR valve and for a few bucks, and an hour of my time all was right again. Laws against the paring of parts and denying literature/software needed to repair products must be enacted at the federal level. These companies are sucking us dry and I for one am fucking tired of it.
The HP-ification of another once-great company. (Score:2)
Only until (Score:5, Insightful)
(Some may think I'm trolling, but looking at some of the cases the Feds have dropped in the last few months, and pardons granted, this seems like a sound strategy.)
Re: (Score:1, Informative)
I disagree with you. Not with right to repair, but with the idea that Trump would be against this. I'm a Trump supporter, and I think this case moving forward is a good thing. Right to repair needs to be a thing in all 50 states and John Deere is one of the worst of the offenders. True patriots understand that competition is a good thing.
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
Trump doesn't believe in anything except enriching himself.
Re: (Score:1)
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. They'll pad his slush fund and the farmer gets screwed again.
Wait and see.
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Well, according to this article [insidesources.com] the Trump administration is a fan of right-to-repair. I recall seeing another article recently where he agrees with Elizabeth Warren on dumping the debt-ceiling completely. Politics is strange thing.
The Deere CEO & executives (Score:2)
I just don't understand why Deere does this (Score:2)
Ok, I do understand. Fucking Wall Street assholes running the show and obsessed with squeezing every last ounce of profit regardless of what it does to their brand.
But the thing is- John Deere makes a pretty good product and people would continue to buy them thus ensuring a steady and long term customer base. Or at least it should- but instead they seem utterly intent on alienating all of their customers and that just seems like such a stupid long term play.
Deere in the headlights (Score:1)
Just another symptom of our broken "IP" system of malignant copyright - patent abuse finally hitting some kind of limit.
And how about an apology for the D105? (Score:1)