Here's a bit more information - agreement just means that Deere will have a program to allow third party repair facilities to provide services...for a fee.
https://www.wired.com/story/right-to-repair-advocates-question-john-deeres-new-promises/
Deere’s new agreement states that it will ensure that farmers and independent repair shops can subscribe to or buy tools, software, and documentation from the company or its authorized repair facilities “on fair and reasonable terms.” The tractor giant also says it will ensure that any farmer, independent technician, or independent repair facility will have electronic access to Deere’s Customer Service Advisor, a digital database of operator and technical manuals that’s available for a fee.
Ted - if I understand the article correctly, Deere is preventing owners from working on their equipment. There are apparently software triggers that 'brick' the tractor. It cannot be reset except by a Deere factory tech.
BTW - appears this is 100% a software issue, not a hardware issue. I'd also note that for farmers, there are not many options these days. Deere has something like 60% of the US market.
Peter