The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined by the Illinois and Minnesota Attorneys General, has filed a lawsuit against Deere & Company, alleging the agricultural equipment manufacturer engaged in unfair practices that have increased repair costs for farmers while restricting their ability to perform timely repairs on critical machinery, including tractors.

The complaint, announced Jan. 15, accuses Deere of hindering farmers and independent repair providers from servicing Deere equipment by requiring repairs to be conducted exclusively through its network of authorized repair...