Media Releases, Legislative News, Agricultural Updates
In 2023, Colorado passed the Consumer Right to Repair Agricultural Equipment Bill into law. Colorado is the first state in the country to pass this kind of ‘Right to Repair’ legislation. Rather than depending on dealers or manufacturers for repairs for agricultural equipment, this legislation ensures that farmers and ranchers can choose to either fix their own equipment, use an independent repair provider, or work with the manufacturer or their dealers. This can save folks a significant amount of both time and money.
Without such a law in place, the company that a farmer buys machinery from can require that repairs only be done by that company’s authorized dealers. Depending on the location and availability of those authorized dealers, it can sometimes take days or even weeks before farmers can get the repairs they rely on to keep their operation going. This is especially a problem in rural areas, where market consolidation has greatly limited the number of options for authorized dealers. Demand for these services is much higher than the supply of timeslots for repairs, which creates delays. During peak season, these delays can result in serious financial losses for farmers. That is why it is so important for farmers and ranchers to have options for repairing their equipment.
Another problem is that, in today’s world, modern tractors use a significant amount of complex software that requires specific tools for diagnostics, and, without ‘Right to Repair’ legal protections, companies are not required to share access to those specific software diagnostic tools. This results in a situation where folks can’t figure out what’s wrong with their system, on their tractor, combine, or other machinery, without waiting on the authorized dealer. It may be a simple or quick fix, but the companies that oppose ‘Right to Repair’ have a monopoly on the repair market and want to keep even the simplest fixes coming to their authorized dealers.
For these reasons, RMFU is proud to have been the primary agricultural advocate in the fight for the successful passage of ‘Right to Repair’ legislation in Colorado. We are working with Farmers Union partners and many other groups to pass similar legislation nationwide. We are focused on passing Right to Repair legislation in New Mexico and Wyoming as well as working with our federal partners to ensure that all farmers and ranchers across the country have the freedom to choose who fixes their equipment. Our members, and everyone in the agricultural community, deserve the right to repair their equipment in the way that is most convenient and efficient for them.
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