The Federal Trade Commission is accusing Deere & Co. of unfairly monopolizing the farm-equipment repair market.

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

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing iconic tractor manufacturer John Deere over farmers’ rights to repair their own machines. Citing the frustration of farmers who are forced to rely on authorized dealers to fix broken-down tractors,

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

John Deere has been sued by the Federal Trade Commission and the states of Minnesota and Illinois, claiming the company uses unfair practices that prevent farmers from repairing their own equipment. The suit,

The North Star State joined the Federal Trade Commission and the state of Illinois in suing ag equipment maker John Deere.

The Federal Trade Commission and two states accuse Deere of costing farmers time and money by unfairly limiting software access and forcing the use of only authorized dealers.

Before thinking of any spring lawn care, you will need to first have your John Deere mower repaired. The Kawasaki-built engine could spark a fire.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing farm equipment maker John Deere, accusing the company of forcing farmers to use its dealers to repair equipment.

The sign outside a John Deere dealer is seen in Denver May 14, 2015. A weak global agriculture sector weighed heavily on quarterly results posted by Deere & Co on May 22, 2015, but earnings still topped expectations,