FTC and USDA Launch Inquiry into Farm Equipment Anticompetitive Practices
What happened
The Federal Trade Commission and USDA opened an inquiry on October 7, 2026, into potential anticompetitive practices within the agricultural equipment sector, specifically concerning the acquisition and maintenance of machinery. Shares of Deere & Company, CNH, and AGCO fell following the announcement. The inquiry does not accuse the companies of wrongdoing but introduces uncertainty to the industry.
From insidermonkey.com
Why it matters
The inquiry adds regulatory uncertainty to an industry already facing difficult farm economics, characterized by low commodity prices and high input costs. Deere & Company's order trends suggest 2026 might be the bottom of the current cycle, but the regulatory scrutiny complicates market stability for major equipment manufacturers.
AGCO, Deere & Company, and CNH Industrial operate within the farm equipment sector.
From insidermonkey.com
Who's involved
- Federal Trade CommissionUnited States federal government agency that launched the inquiry
- Deere & CompanyMajor agricultural equipment manufacturer subject to the inquiry
- CNHMajor agricultural equipment manufacturer subject to the inquiry
- AGCOMajor agricultural equipment manufacturer subject to the inquiry
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
Keep exploring
Part of
AGCO, Deere, and CNH Industrial are companies that operate in the farm equipment sector.Also in this story
- CNH Industrial's CEO spoke about the strategic horizon of Ukrainian agribusiness at a conference.
- Deere & Company outperformed the S&P 500 but lagged the Industrial Products sector's recent gain on July 11, 2025.
- Deere utilizes land owned through Farmland Partners to operate agriculture equipment dealerships under the John Deere brand.
- Kubota, AGCO, and CNH Industrial are key players in the Japanese tractor market.
The entities involved
-
Deere & Company
American agricultural and industrial auto manufacturing corporation
-
CNH
company
-
AGCO
American agricultural machinery manufacturer
Related events
- Multiple institutional investors, including SEI and Geode Capital Management, filed disclosures with the SEC regarding changes in their holdings of Deere & Company stock.
- Rising corn and soy prices are boosting demand for Deere equipment, leading analysts to predict an upturn in farming profits in North America.