MINNESOTA (Minnesota News Connection) – The fall harvest is upon us and Minnesota farmers are hoping their equipment holds up.
Advocates say a new state law designed to level the playing field in the electronics repair market has one glaring gap: agriculture. Minnesota has joined a handful of states that have passed laws known as “right to repair” laws, which require manufacturers of certain products to provide documentation, parts and tools to independent repair shops and product owners.
The measures follow complaints that technology companies have a monopoly on repairs. Gary Wertish, president of the Minnesota Farmers Union, said they support the new changes but wished farm machinery would be included.
“This really limits the rights of farmers,” Wertish claimed. “If you buy a piece of equipment for that much money, you should have the right to repair it yourself or, if not, take it to an independent dealer.”
Tractors and other equipment are being fitted with new technology. Wertish pointed out that a farmer who has to drive several hours to a dealer for an electronic repair has less time in the field and potentially reduces his profits. Companies like John Deere argued that they share details through industry agreements called memorandums of understanding, but skeptics countered that they did not provide enough access.
Wertish noted that it would be great if farmers could do repairs themselves if they could. He added that more independent mechanics could strengthen the rural economy and believes that creating competition would not be a major disruption to large dealerships.
“If they provide good service, and they do, they will still get a large share of customers,” Wertish argued. “They will still rely on them.”
As large repair shops struggle with staffing shortages, Wertish stressed that having more options could ease some of the pressure during the busy farming season. He hopes Minnesota lawmakers will revisit the issue next session to consider possible changes. Congress is also under pressure to pass similar legislation at the federal level.
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