A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky.
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Showing posts with label right to repair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label right to repair. Show all posts
Deere agreed to supply U.S. farmers with the tools required to make their own repairs. (Photo by R. Fath, Unsplash)
U.S. farmers fighting for the right to repair their own tractors secured a class-action suit victory against John Deere. Reuters reports, "U.S. agriculture equipment maker Deere agreed to pay $99 million into a settlement fund for farms and farmers that are part of a class action over costs and access to repairs."
Since 2017, Deere has put up a bulwark of defenses to prevent sharing repair access and knowledge with U.S. farmers who wanted to fix their tractors themselves rather than wait for a Deere-authorized repair tech to make it to their farm. Reuters reports, "The settlement fund covers eligible plaintiffs who paid Deere’s authorized dealers for repairs to large agricultural equipment from January 2018."
The right-to-repair suits from farmers are only part of a bigger tug-of-war between companies that produce technology-based products, such as cell phones and computers, and American consumers. Reuters reports, "Regulators and plaintiffs argue that some manufacturers limit competition by controlling access to repair tools and software."
Within Deere's settlement, the company gave a 10-year commitment to supplying "farmers with the 'tools required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair' of large agricultural equipment, including tractors, combines, and sugarcane harvesters," Reuters reports.
Although this week's settlement ends some of Deere's litigation headaches, the company still faces "a separate lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission," Reuters reports. "A U.S. judge ruled in 2025 that Deere must face that lawsuit, which accused the company of forcing farmers to use its authorized dealer network and driving up their costs for parts and repairs."
The EPA issued guidance that the Clean
Air Act does not interfere with farmers’ right to repair equipment.
(Photo by Lance Cheung, USDA)
After years of battling for the right to repair their own equipment, American farmers gleaned a victory from the Environmental Protection Agency.
As of Monday, the agency "notified manufacturers that the Clean Air Act does not prohibit independent repairs to off-road diesel equipment such as farm machinery," reports Cami Koons of the Iowa Capital Dispatch. "A news release from EPA said manufacturers 'can no longer' use the act to 'justify limiting access to repair tools or software.'"
The EPA news release outlined how equipment manufacturers have
consistently used the Clean Air Act to force farmers to wait for
company-certified techs, pay for repairs they could have done
themselves, or work with older, less sophisticated equipment.
Farm machinery manufacturer John Deere "has been central to the right-to-repair issue," Koons explains. The company had used the Clean Air Act to restrict farmers from tampering with emission control systems, insisting that its machinery used "sophisticated technology that could only be [legally] worked on by John Deere technicians."
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said that EPA's clarification is "expected to save farmers thousands in unnecessary repairs . . . .We are reaffirming the lawful right of American farmers and equipment owners to repair their farm equipment.”
During his January visit to Iowa, President Donald Trump said he planned to remove some emission requirements for tractors, Koons reports. In a speech to a crowd of Iowans, Trump said, "We’re going to get the tractors back where you don’t have to be a Ph.D. in order to start your tractor, in order to keep the environment clean."
Tusk-like mandibles can rasp the flesh of living warm- blooded
animals. (USDA photo via Successful Farming)
Despite its eradication from the U.S. in 1966, the New World Screwworm has returned to Mexico, which means the aggressive, flesh-eating flies could re-enter the U.S.
While the NWS could prey on any warm-blooded animal, its return would be devastating for the U.S. cattle industry. Angie Stump Denton reports for Farm Journal, "The larvae can kill an animal in just four to seven days if not quickly detected and treated."
Experts believe Texas would be the most likely place for NWS to enter the U.S. from Mexico. In late April, after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins threatened to suspend cattle imports from Mexico to the U.S. as she did in November 2024, the two countries were able to agree on a strategy to control the NWS. Listen to more details on the NWS and USDA approaches for "complete eradication" here.
New bird flu detection sensors are fast. By testing air from exhaust vents, the systems monitor for bird flu 24/7. (ASC Publications graphic)
Bird flu remains a significant concern for egg and poultry industries as well as backyard and small chicken or turkey farms. The virus presents numerous difficulties, one of which is a lack of "any 'early warning' system," reports Alfred Poor for Offrange. "Testing requires a lab and can take days to deliver results. … A new detection technology can produce results in minutes and is designed to be installed on-site, right in the flock housing buildings, to provide continuous monitoring. … The system samples air from the exhaust vents from the animals’ housing. The researchers have described their results in a paper in ACS Sensors."
The new detection technology doesn't require any technical training to run and it's accurate. Poor adds, "According to the team’s own published results, the system’s results showed a 90% correlation with the standard PCR lab results."
Even though U.S. farmers can now legally repair their tractors, a lawsuit addressing John Deere's past repair policies and tactics with farmers will still make its way through the court system. "The Agriculture equipment giant must face a lawsuit by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission accusing the company of forcing farmers to use its authorized dealer network and driving up their costs for parts and repairs," reports Mike Scarcella of Reuters. "U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston in the federal court in Rockford, Illinois, ruled for now to reject Deere’s effort to end the lawsuit."
Deere countered the suit saying that "it does not compete in the market for repair services," Scarella reports. "The company also challenged the lawfulness of the structure of the FTC. … Deere alleged that restrictions against removing FTC commissioners illegally bar the president from exercising lawful oversight."
We don't know how we missed it, but it's our pleasure to introduce "Sirius," the amazing and lovable 2025 Farm Bureau Dog of the Year. "Livestock guardian dog Sirius is a 'hero behind the heroes' – a herd of miniature therapy horses that bring comfort to those who have experienced traumatic events," the American Farm Bureau Federation reports.
The mini-horses that Sirius and his fellow Maremma sheep dogs help protect from behind the scenes have given people joy during some of their worst experiences. They visited families after the Sandy Hook school shooting and comforted victim families and first responders after the Pulse Nightclub shooting. They make people smile and laugh in children and veteran hospitals wherever they go.
While Sirius and his fellow canine guardians stay home at the farm, they help owners Jorge and Debbie Garcia-Bengochea know the horses are safe. Jorge told FB, "The Maremma breed is intended to bond with the herd. When these dogs are on alert and watching the herd, I feel like it's a 24/7 security system."
Farmers are encouraged to enter their tremendous farm dog here for the 2026 award.
Whether it's fixing a broken cell phone or a car, many Americans have been fighting for their "right-to-repair" purchased products without industry restrictions, reports Iris Kim of NBC News. Historically, manufacturers of items such as computers, cars and tractors have used copyright law to prevent consumers from seeking repairs outside of the manufacturer's "licensed or company" representatives.
As U.S. consumers became more aware of right-to-repair benefits, including cheaper and quicker repairs, more states have passed laws to "protect consumers’ ability to repair or modify their products instead of having to go through the manufacturer," Kim explains. "As of March, right-to-repair bills had been introduced in all 50 states, and 20 state legislatures are currently debating such bills."
The U.S. right-to-repair movement has faced staunch corporate resistance because manufacturers have capitalized on repair revenue. Kit Walsh, a director at the nonprofit rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Kim, "Manufacturers will always try to figure out another means of restricting independent repair because it’s a very lucrative market for them."
The Right to Repair Coalition "runs a know-your-rights program where people can check what laws are enforced in their state," Kim reports. "If the manufacturer of a product is not in compliance with the law, consumers can fill out a form that sends a direct complaint to the state attorney general’s office."
Planting and harvesting are times when farmers need repairs made quickly. (Adobe Stock photo)
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed suit recently against farm equipment maker Deere & Co. "alleging it illegally drives up repair costs by forcing farmers to rely on its authorized dealer network," report Leah Douglas and Jonathan Stempel of Reuters. "The lawsuit argues Deere has unlawfully boosted profits by requiring farmers to use its network of authorized dealers for repairs, making it difficult for farmers to use independent mechanics or do repairs themselves."
Over the past two decades, American farmers have invested in advanced-technology farm machinery that has increased their "reliance on high-tech machinery such as GPS-guided combines and tractors," reports P.J. Huffstutter of Reuters.
The suit is part of the outgoing Biden administration's efforts to address "anti-competitive practices in agriculture, ranging from improving the treatment of chicken farmers . . . to increasing competition in the seed sector," Douglas and Stempel explain. "It has also targeted the right-to-repair issue, which cuts across various industries, including smartphones and computers."
Particularly when farmers are planting or harvesting in seasonal windows, waiting for a Deere technician to repair equipment can result in steep financial losses. Reuters reports, "FTC Chair Lina Khan said, 'Illegal repair restrictions can be devastating for farmers, who rely on affordable and timely repairs to harvest their crops and earn their income.'"
"Currently, Deere farm equipment software is solely owned by the company and repairs can only be made through its dealer network," Douglas and Stempel add. The FTC said in a statement, that Deere's repair process has ensured the company "has maintained a 100% market share, allowing it to hike prices."
Given the complaint, it appears last year's signed memorandum of understanding between the American Farm Bureau Federation and Deere & Co. did not live up to its expectations. Reuters reports, "The company said it was expanding self-repair options for farmers in a pilot program."
