Farm Bureau, Deere & Co sign MOU ensuring farmers' "right to repair" equipment

Source: Reuters

Farm Bureau, Deere & Co sign MOU ensuring farmers' "right to repair" equipment

P.J. Huffstutter
Sun, January 8, 2023 at 11:20 AM EST

CHICAGO (Reuters) -The American Farm Bureau Federation and machinery manufacturer Deere & Co signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday that ensures farmers have the right to repair their own farm equipment or go to an independent technician.

As the agriculture sector accelerates its adoption of technology, the reliance on high-tech machinery such as GPS-guided combines and tractors has become more common-place.

But equipment makers such as Deere have generally required customers to use their parts and service divisions for repairs and until recently, only allowed authorized dealers the means and tools to access the complex computerized systems of their tractors and other machinery.

The Farm Bureau's memorandum of understanding with Deere "will ensure farmers everywhere are able to repair our own equipment," Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall said, speaking at the federation's convention in Puerto Rico.

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