Upcoming webinar to address legal issues in farmers’ right to repair equipment
“The right to repair is a critical issue that affects every farmer's ability to manage
and maintain their equipment.”
— Harrison Pittman
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Sept. 4, 2024
Fast facts:
- Right-to-repair movement pushes for farmers’ ability to repair their equipment
- National Ag Law Center webinar on Sept. 18 will highlight recent developments
- Registration is free online
(386 words)
(Newsrooms: with art of Pifer and tractor)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Can farmers legally repair their own equipment?
The question is more complex than it appears. With continued technological advancements,
companies that manufacture farming equipment may use sophisticated and proprietary
technology and software which only the manufacturer has the ability and permission
to repair.
Such was the case with John Deere, which eventually entered into a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation in January 2023 allowing farmers access to tools and diagnostic equipment for repairs.
The MOU is one example of the outcome of conversations surrounding the “right to repair.”
“This has been a topic of discussion in the agricultural community and beyond for
some time now,” said Ross Pifer, director of the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law. “The right-to-repair
movement advocates for policies that enable farmers to fix and modify their machinery
without facing legal or technical barriers. In agriculture, there is widespread interest
in right to repair, though there are differences of opinion on how to define and implement
it.”
Last year, Minnesota became the sixth state to enact a right-to-repair law with its
Digital Fair Repair Act. Of the six states that have enacted such laws — Minnesota,
California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and New York — Colorado is the only state
to have enacted a law that specifically gives farmers the right to repair their own
equipment.
More information on the American Farm Bureau Federation MOU and the right to repair
is available online from the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC.
“Each statute is similar in its general purpose, but they differ in their approach
and the scope of coverage,” Pifer said.
Pifer will discuss the status of the right-to-repair movement as it applies to agriculture
during a Sept. 18 NALC webinar, “Right to Repair and Agriculture.” The webinar is
free to attend, but registration is required. Interested participants can register
and find more details on the National Agricultural Law Center’s website. The presentation will begin at 11 a.m. Central/Noon Eastern.
“The right to repair is a critical issue that affects every farmer's ability to manage
and maintain their equipment,” according to NALC Director Harrison Pittman. “We're
excited to have Ross guide us through the legal landscape and practical challenges
surrounding this important topic. This webinar is a must for anyone invested in the
future of agriculture.”
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
For updates on agricultural law and policy developments, subscribe free of charge
to The Feed, the NALC’s twice-monthly newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing
agriculture.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural
and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal
policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many
others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information
to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and
works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural
Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal
access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to
participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as
soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
# # #
Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu