Photo: John Deere
Until now, repairing modern farming equipment could only be done by the manufacturer or its authorized partners. Nevertheless, John Deere has agreed to allow U.S. farmers to fix their tractors using independent contractors, a major victory for right-to-repair advocates.
Once a no-frills piece of equipment designed to do the job, farming machinery has become increasingly complex. If you think the chips and computers in modern cars are daunting, consider that farming equipment can be a dozen times more complicated. Tractors can perform certain automated tasks, and everything is computer monitored and controlled to maximize productivity. However, these enhancements come with a caveat, as most equipment can now be serviced or repaired exclusively by the manufacturer or its authorized partners.
As is usually the case with all monopolies, this has led to increased costs for farmers, which for years have tried to convince manufacturers to open up their repair systems. The latter argued that the complex machines could only be serviced by authorized personnel, thus ensuring optimum operation. This war between manufacturers and their clients has been at the forefront of the right-to-repair movement, which advocates for allowing customers and independent repair shops to fix their devices.
Now, this movement has won a resounding victory, as tractor maker John Deere has agreed to let the U.S. farmers repair their own equipment using cheaper independent repair options. This means that independent shops will have access to the tools, information, and resources to perform complex repairs and adjustments to the equipment. The agreement was signed between John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
“It addresses a long-running issue for farmers and ranchers when it comes to accessing tools, information, and resources while protecting John Deere’s intellectual property rights and ensuring equipment safety,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said.
Although it is a major victory for the right-to-repair movement, the agreement would prohibit equipment owners and independent technicians from “divulging trade secrets” or “overriding safety features or emissions controls or adjusting Agricultural Equipment power levels.” Nevertheless, the agreement allows John Deere customers to access tools and resources to diagnose, maintain and repair their equipment.
The farming industry may be the most important regarding the right to repair, considering the huge amounts of money involved, but it’s actually about everything. From technology to vehicles, manufacturers have tried to keep the repair garden walled up. At the same time, customers have complained that products tend to break down faster, and repairing them has become increasingly costly. Also, manufacturers have made it sometimes impossible or impracticable to repair their products, forcing customers to buy new ones instead.
The right-to-repair movement has scored some victories in the U.S., with New York and Massachusetts at the forefront. President Biden signed an executive order in 2021 asking Federal Trade Commission to draw up a countrywide policy to allow customers to repair their products. This pertains mainly to the technology and agriculture sectors.
As is usually the case with all monopolies, this has led to increased costs for farmers, which for years have tried to convince manufacturers to open up their repair systems. The latter argued that the complex machines could only be serviced by authorized personnel, thus ensuring optimum operation. This war between manufacturers and their clients has been at the forefront of the right-to-repair movement, which advocates for allowing customers and independent repair shops to fix their devices.
Now, this movement has won a resounding victory, as tractor maker John Deere has agreed to let the U.S. farmers repair their own equipment using cheaper independent repair options. This means that independent shops will have access to the tools, information, and resources to perform complex repairs and adjustments to the equipment. The agreement was signed between John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
“It addresses a long-running issue for farmers and ranchers when it comes to accessing tools, information, and resources while protecting John Deere’s intellectual property rights and ensuring equipment safety,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said.
Although it is a major victory for the right-to-repair movement, the agreement would prohibit equipment owners and independent technicians from “divulging trade secrets” or “overriding safety features or emissions controls or adjusting Agricultural Equipment power levels.” Nevertheless, the agreement allows John Deere customers to access tools and resources to diagnose, maintain and repair their equipment.
The farming industry may be the most important regarding the right to repair, considering the huge amounts of money involved, but it’s actually about everything. From technology to vehicles, manufacturers have tried to keep the repair garden walled up. At the same time, customers have complained that products tend to break down faster, and repairing them has become increasingly costly. Also, manufacturers have made it sometimes impossible or impracticable to repair their products, forcing customers to buy new ones instead.
The right-to-repair movement has scored some victories in the U.S., with New York and Massachusetts at the forefront. President Biden signed an executive order in 2021 asking Federal Trade Commission to draw up a countrywide policy to allow customers to repair their products. This pertains mainly to the technology and agriculture sectors.
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