WASHINGTON\u2014Farmers\u2019 mechanical expertise is hardly useful when computerized systems prevent them from repairing their own equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Joe Biden\u2019s new executive order directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Federal Trade Commission to take actions to address unfair anti-competitive restrictions on third-party repair or self-repair of items, including restrictions that prevent farmers from repairing their own equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Modern, firmware-based equipment technologies often require proprietary software to access, troubleshoot or calibrate systems, forcing equipment owners to visit a dealer for repairs and maintenance. These digital lockouts result in downtime, affecting farmers\u2019 bottom lines and their ability to respond quickly to weather and crop conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFarmers shouldn\u2019t be nickel and dimed, or lose valuable time, if their essential equipment and tools break down,\u201d said Ben Rowe, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation national affairs coordinator. \u201cGiving farmers the ability to perform repairs on their own farm equipment is critical, particularly at a time when hired labor and parts are already hard to come by.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Essex County grain farmer Jay Hundley has waited up to two days for technical support when equipment software was inaccessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you can\u2019t plug into the software for diagnostics, it\u2019s hard to repair anything, because it tells you where to go look, or what part to order,\u201d explained Hundley, who finally had to hire a full-time dealership-trained technician. \u201cI\u2019ve heard of people waiting a week because dealerships couldn\u2019t find enough technicians to service the machines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He sometimes manually overrides the error codes to finish a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can run three or four more hours until the code pops back up,\u201d Hundley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the executive order addressing the \u201cright to repair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFarmers increasingly rely on the latest technology as they grow healthy, affordable food,\u201d Duvall said. \u201cBusiness purchases\u2014from robotic milkers to high-tech combines\u2014require a substantial investment, and when those tools break down, farmers need to get back up and running quickly. Ensuring farmers have the ability to perform cost-effective repairs on their own equipment will keep America\u2019s farms running and financially sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Duvall said AFBF will continue to work with the administration to ensure changes are consistent with grassroots policy, and farmers are provided greater flexibility to remain competitive in our growing economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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WASHINGTON\u2014Farmers\u2019 mechanical expertise is hardly useful when computerized systems prevent them from repairing their own equipment. President Joe Biden\u2019s new executive order directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Federal Trade Commission to take actions to address unfair anti-competitive restrictions on third-party repair or self-repair of items, including restrictions that prevent farmers from repairing their own equipment. Modern, firmware-based equipment … <\/p>\n