The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

By Jeffrey Goldfarb

NEW YORK, July 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Competition authorities settled with the $160 bln tractor maker in lieu of a US court fight over machinery repair restrictions. The plan is fuzzy and requires vigilant policing, a fatal flaw of previous landmark pacts. Hard-fought lessons are either being forgotten or ignored.

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CONTEXT NEWS

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, five states and Deere said on July 8 they had agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit against the farm equipment manufacturer that provides customers and independent repair providers the same resources, including diagnostic software, available to the company's authorized dealers for the next 10 years, under supervision.

FTC Bureau of Competition Director Daniel Guarnera said the agreement "will help lower costs for American farmers" and that the agency would keep "fighting against anticompetitive restrictions on American consumers' right to repair."

Deere said it was "good news for our customers and for the future of how Deere equipment is supported."

The settlement requires approval of a federal judge.