Deere & Co. unfairly forces farmers to visit authorized dealers to repair their equipment, resulting in higher prices than if they could fix it themselves or get help from independent shops, the Federal Trade Commission claims in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday with the attorneys general of Illinois and Minnesota.

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

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,