John Deere gives U.S. farmers right to repair equipment
U.S. manufacturer John Deere has agreed to allow American farmers the right to repair their own equipment, according to a U.S. agriculture industry lobby group.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, a U.S. insurance company and lobby group, announced Sunday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with John Deere that ensures any farmer or independent repair facility will be able to repair its equipment.
Prior to the agreement, owners of John Deere equipment were barred from modifying and repairing their purchased equipment, needing to only use John Deere parts and associated repair facilities to do so.
The restriction has been met with criticism from farmers while John Deere has argued it is in order to protect the equipment’s safe operation, to ensure emissions compliance and engine performance and warranty validation.
The AFBF said Sunday that the agreement it entered with John Deere followed years of discussions, and that it addresses long-running issues for farmers and ranchers while protecting the U.S. manufacturer’s intellectual property rights.
“A piece of equipment is a major investment. Farmers must have the freedom to choose where equipment is repaired, or to repair it themselves, to help control costs,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a statement. “The MOU commits John Deere to ensuring farmers and independent repair facilities have access to many of the tools and software needed to grow the food, fuel and fiber America’s families rely on.”
The MOU — which was signed Sunday during the 2023 AFBF Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico — specifically gives farmers access to diagnostic and repair codes and manuals as well as product guides while ensuring they will be able to purchase related tools directly from John Deere and receive assistance when ordering parts.
