John Deere agreed to allow farmers to fix their own tractors

[Elderberry]

Quartz By Michelle Cheng 1/9/2023

The agreement addresses a long-standing complaint from farmers about independent repairs of high-tech machinery

Farmers in the US will now be able to fix their own John Deere equipment or head to independent repair shops without intervention from the agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Addressing a long-standing complaint from farmers, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday that ensures farmers and ranchers have the freedom to repair their own farm equipment.

The agreement ensures farmers timely access to the tools, software and documentation originating from the manufacturer. The deal also protects equipment from changes that could compromise safety. John Deere and AFBF agreed to meet semi-annually to assess how the agreement is going and make any updates.

“A piece of equipment is a major investment,” said AFBF president Zippy Duvall in a statement. “Farmers must have the freedom to choose where equipment is repaired, or to repair it themselves, to help control costs.”

More: https://qz.com/john-deere-agreed-to-allow-farmers-to-fix-their-own-tra-1849966597

[verga]