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Deere and Co. and the American Farm Bureau Federation signed a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) that outlines the company’s
responsibility to provide tools and software outside their
authorized repair centers.
Until now, owners of Deere farm equipment have been required to
take it to authorized service facilities and use only authorized
parts. The new agreement allows owners to not just repair their
implements, but also allows them to access diagnostic tools.
“Farmers take pride in ownership and finding creative solutions
for their farms,” Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert
Jr. said. “They deserve the freedom to choose where their
equipment is repaired, including the ability to repair their own
equipment, to help control costs.”
Winnebago County dairy farmer John Mitchell applauded the
agreement and said it will allow for quicker repairs on
machinery, especially for farmers who live miles from a John
Deere service center.
“Even if it is just diagnosing the problem themselves so the
technician comes out with the right parts,” Mitchell said.
John Deere won’t be required to divulge trade secrets, or to
allow repairs that remove safety features or modify power
levels.
There are loopholes that allow Deere and Co. to pull out of the
MOU agreement, including if either state or federal
right-to-repair legislation comes into effect. The federation
and Deere and Co. also have agreed to meet twice a year to
discuss any issues related to the agreement.
Mitchell said he hopes other farm manufacturers follow John
Deere’s lead.
“That's the hope that is really the beginnings of a conversation
that didn’t require government regulation or legislation or
anything of that nature, so the hope is that this will be the
model moving forward,” Mitchell
Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in
Illinois for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of
experience in radio news reporting throughout the Midwest.
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