Incoming Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson blasted Democratic commissioners for suing Deere & Co. while regulators were in negotiations with the company to address farmers' complaints.

Illegal repair restrictions can be devastating for farmers, who rely on affordable and timely repairs to harvest their crops and earn their income,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday sued farm equipment maker Deere, alleging it illegally drives up repair costs by forcing farmers to rely on its authorized dealer network. The lawsuit argues Deere has unlawfully boosted profits by requiring farmers to use its network of authorized dealers for repairs,