The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are launching a joint probe into potential anticompetitive practices in the agricultural manufacturing and distribution industry.
In an October 7 release, the agencies said that farmers across the country have indicated that they've been facing barriers to acquiring agricultural equipment, and to services needed to keep that equipment running. Those barriers include potential territorial sales restrictions from manufacturers selling to farmers, as well as penalties for customers who look to buy equipment from outside their designated territories.
As part of their probe, the FTC and USDA are calling on the public — particularly farmers — to provide examples of instances where manufacturers have restricted their ability to purchase agricultural equipment, and specify what pricing or penalty mechanisms companies have employed. Farmers are also being asked to specify whether they've ever been threatened or faced retaliation from going against manufacturer policies related to independent repair providers.
The agencies will be accepting public comments through December 7, 2026. That information will then be used by the FTC and USDA to inform possible enforcement actions, and dictate regulatory priorities down the line.
