Des Moines, Iowa — A Drake University ag law professor is weighing in on the American Farm Bureau Federation’s agreement with John Deere that will allow farmers to repair their own equipment, or take it to independent repair shops.
The director of the Drake University Agricultural Law Center, Jennifer Zwagerman, says it is a good solution for both sides. Zwagerman says Deere needs to protect the investment it has made in developing high-tech systems to run tractors and other equipment.
She says the computerized systems, programming, or technology that’s used in the equipment is more important than the equipment itself.
The agreement voluntarily makes available manuals or parts to vehicles or equipment.
Farmers had been able to do their own repairs or have them done without concern before tractors and other equipment started to involve much more technology.
Zwagerman says John Deere has a long history in agriculture and working with farmers and the company wants to maintain that relationship into the future. Zwagerman says there are still some outside factors that could impact the agreement.
Zwagerman says there have been a lot of states and the federal government looking at this type of right-to-repair legislation — and this agreement would keep it out of the government’s hands and out of that type of regulation. She says the Deere agreement will extend beyond that company’s products — as the memorandum-of-agreement says the Farm Bureau is looking to enter into these types of agreements with other companies as well.
