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John Deere vows to open up its tractor tech, but right-to-repair backers have
doubts

  By Joe Hernandez

  Tuesday, January 10, 2023 o 5:00 AM EST

  Like many parts of modern life, tractors have gone high-tech, often
  running on advanced computer systems.

  But some manufacturers are tight-lipped about how these electronics
  work, [4]making it difficult or nearly impossible for farmers and
  independent repair shops to diagnose and fix problems with the
  equipment.

  An [5]agreement by John Deere may finally give farmers a greater hand
  in repairing the company's products.

  The American Farm Bureau Federation announced Sunday that it had
  reached a memorandum of understanding with John Deere promising farmers
  and independent repair shops information they would need to service the
  company's equipment.

  The company said the agreement "reaffirms the longstanding commitment
  Deere has made to ensure our customers have the diagnostic tools and
  information they need to make many repairs to their machines."

  But some in the agricultural field worry that the latest agreement
  doesn't go far enough and is a veiled attempt to stave off the passage
  of "right-to-repair" legislation at the federal and state levels.

  "There's no commitment from anyone to enforce it," Walter Schweitzer,
  president of the Montana Farmers Union, told NPR.
    __________________________________________________________________

  Related Story: [6]Standoff Between Farmers And Tractor Makers
  Intensifies Over Repair Issues
    __________________________________________________________________

  Schweitzer, a third-generation farmer and rancher, questioned why John
  Deere would reach a private agreement and pointed to a provision that
  allows the company to pull out of the memorandum if any right-to-repair
  legislation is enacted.

  "If they truly, honestly wanted to give farmers and ranchers and
  independent repair shops the right to repair equipment, why are they so
  afraid of legislation that authorizes that?" he added.

  The deal comes after years of pressure from farmers and right-to-repair
  advocates urging John Deere to make it easier to identify and repair
  problems with its popular yellow and green tractors and farm equipment.

John Deere says it wants to empower customers to repair their products

  Under [7]the memorandum of understanding, farmers and independent
  repair shops will be able to buy access to John Deere's software,
  manuals, and other information need to service their equipment.

  Previously, farmers generally had to wait for technicians from the
  company and authorized repair shops for fixes.

  The federation and John Deere have also agreed to meet at least twice a
  year to discuss any issues related to the deal.

  Sam Kieffer, the American Farm Bureau Federation's vice president of
  public policy, told NPR that the group preferred to reach a private
  agreement with the company.
    __________________________________________________________________

  Related Story: [8]President Biden Wants To Make It Easier For You To
  Get Your Broken Smartphone Fixed
    __________________________________________________________________

  "Our members asked us to pursue a private sector agreement, and our
  members wanted to avoid a patchwork quilt of different rules across
  state lines, recognizing that manufacturers -- not just Deere, but
  manufacturers in general -- will need to be operating at the national
  level, even internationally," Kieffer said.

  The federation agreed to encourage state farm bureaus to "refrain from
  introducing, promoting, or supporting federal or state 'Right to
  Repair' legislation that imposes obligations beyond the commitments in
  this MOU."

  Under the agreement, John Deere can also protect its trade secrets and
  bar users from overriding safety features in its equipment.

Skeptics applaud the idea but say the company has to follow through

  Kevin O'Reilly, the right-to-repair campaign director at the Public
  Interest Research Group, said the memorandum of understanding appeared
  to be a step forward but noted that Deere and other manufacturers
  [9]have made similar promises in the past.

  "If this document, if this MOU, completely comes through on what it's
  stated to do, then this would be a win for farmers," O'Reilly told NPR.
  "But we're not totally convinced that that will be the case."

  John Deere noted that [10]it currently provides customers some
  diagnostic tools to identify problems with their equipment.

  But according to Schweitzer, many farmers can be blocked from
  diagnosing or fixing problems with their tractors, combines, and other
  equipment and are forced to wait for a John Deere technician to be
  available.

  He said in the past he's had to wait weeks for John Deere to fix his
  tractor, a significant chunk of time for farm equipment to be out of
  commission.
    __________________________________________________________________

  Related Story: [11]How we can repair, repurpose, and reimagine our junk
  -- instead of throwing it out
    __________________________________________________________________

  "Rain can wreck a crop in two, three hours. A hailstorm can destroy
  your whole crop in just a matter of minutes," Schweitzer said. "If
  you're sitting there with a $100,000 or a $500,000 piece of equipment
  that you can't repair, then you've got a paperweight. What good is
  that?"

Efforts to enshrine the right to repair in law are gaining momentum

  President Biden [12]issued an executive order in July 2021 encouraging
  the Federal Trade Commission to make rules cracking down on
  manufacturers that limit users and third party companies from repair
  their electronics.

  Shortly after, the FTC [13]said it would devote more resources to
  combating unlawful repair restrictions.
    __________________________________________________________________

  Related Story: [14]Apple will soon sell you parts and tools to fix your
  own iPhone or Mac at home
    __________________________________________________________________

  There have also been recent attempts to enact laws guaranteeing
  consumers a right to repair the electronics they've bought.

  Last year Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, [15]introduced
  legislation to limit repair restrictions in the agricultural industry,
  and [16]more than half of U.S. states are considering right-to-repair
  laws.

  In December, [17]New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a right-to-repair
  law that requires equipment manufacturers to provide repair information
  and parts for some consumer electronics, though some products such as
  medical devices and home appliances were carved out.

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References

  1. https://www.npr.org/1147934682
  2. https://text.npr.org/
  3. https://text.npr.org/1006
  4. https://text.npr.org/2021/05/26/1000400896/standoff-between-farmers-and-tractor-makers-intensifies-over-repair-issues
  5. https://www.fb.org/newsroom/afbf-signs-right-to-repair-memorandum-of-understanding-with-john-deere
  6. https://text.npr.org/1000400896
  7. https://www.fb.org/files/AFBF_John_Deere_MOU.pdf
  8. https://text.npr.org/1018443062
  9. https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7m8mx/john-deere-promised-farmers-it-would-make-tractors-easy-to-repair-it-lied
 10. https://www.deere.com/en/stories/featured/expanding-access-to-self-repair-resources/
 11. https://text.npr.org/1147069243
 12. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/fact-sheet-executive-order-on-promoting-competition-in-the-american-economy/
 13. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_statements/1592330/p194400repairrestrictionspolicystatement.pdf
 14. https://text.npr.org/1056535646
 15. https://www.tester.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/pr-8866/#:~:text=As%20a%20part%20of%20his,restrictions%20on%20the%20repair%20market.
 16. https://pirg.org/articles/half-of-u-s-states-looking-to-give-americans-the-right-to-repair/
 17. https://www.engadget.com/new-york-right-to-repair-law-kathy-hochul-184654713.html
 18. https://text.npr.org/1001
 19. https://text.npr.org/1008
 20. https://text.npr.org/1039
 21. https://text.npr.org/614470770
 22. https://text.npr.org/179876898
 23. https://text.npr.org/179881519
 24. https://text.npr.org/179878450

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