Versatile must search for another potential buyer.

The Justice Department said that the Vancouver, Canada-based company should conduct the search before it sells its North American agricultural equipment operations to John Deere & Co. of Moline, Ill. The Justice Department said that as long as certain conditions are met, it won’t bring suit under U.S. antitrust laws to block Deere’s proposed acquisition of part of Versatile’s business. The proposed acquisition would reduce from four to three the number of significant manufacturers of large four-wheel-drive tractors, the Justice Department said.