Warning to Deere a victory for right-to-repair advocates

Montana Farmers Union

The EPA’s recent warning to John Deere that the equipment manufacturing company’s equipment manuals prohibiting the repair of emissions control systems by anyone other than Deere authorized dealers may have violated the law is another victory in Farmers Union’s fight for farmers’ right to repair, Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer said.

“The fact that John Deere has acknowledged the EPA requirement also affirms that Farmers Union has been justified in advocating for the farmers ‘right to repair’ our own equipment,” Schweitzer said.

Farmers Union continues to advocate for farmers “right to repair” their own equipment legislation at the national and state level that would require equipment manufacturers to provide the necessary tools for farmers to use third-party repair shops or fully repair their equipment themselves. The issue has been taken up by states, including Colorado, where right to repair legislation went into effect earlier this year. Efforts have been made at the federal level too, including the proposed Agricultural Right to Repair Act.

A national agricultural Right to Repair law could save U.S. farmers $4.2 billion per year when accounting for direct costs and equipment downtime, according to a report completed by PIRG and based on a survey from NFU.

In their opposition to Right to Repair legislation, equipment manufacturers and dealers have invoked EPA regulations and the CAA – specifically related to tampering with emissions control systems – as justification for their need to restrict repair.

Last year, in a letter to National Farmers Union, the Environmental Protection Agency affirmed that the Clean Air Act cannot be used as a basis to restrict independent repair of farm equipment.

The EPA’s recent warning to John Deere prompted the company to recall the owners manuals of an unknown number of pieces of equipment. Even with the acknowledgment from Deere, some emissions systems repairs may still require the use of authorized Deere technicians to fully complete repairs.

MFU and NFU continue to advocate for farmers’ right to fully repair their equipment.

“The EPA affirmed our assessment, and this helps clear the way for future legislation and for the FTC to implement rules requiring manufacturers to provide all tools necessary to fully repair our equipment,” Schweitzer said.