AFBF, John Deere Sign Right to Repair MOU

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that guarantees farmers and ranchers have the right to repair their own farm equipment.

The MOU was signed during the 2023 AFBF Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The agreement is the result of several years of discussions between AFBF and John Deere.

“AFBF is pleased to announce this agreement with John Deere. It addresses a longrunning issue for farmers and ranchers when it comes to accessing tools, information and resources, while protecting John Deere’s intellectual property rights and ensuring equipment safety,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said. “A piece of equipment is a major investment. Farmers must have the freedom to choose where equipment is repaired, or to repair it themselves, to help control costs. The MOU commits John Deere to ensuring farmers and independent repair facilities have access to many of the tools and software needed to grow the food, fuel and fiber America’s families rely on.”

Duvall noted farmers and ranchers will have access to diagnostic tools and information they need to repair their own equipment and at a fair price.

“It has been a long journey to get here. I couldn’t be more proud of the team that negotiated the agreement, and I hope John Deere is the first of many farm equipment companies we can come to an agreement with,” Duvall said.

The MOU was signed by Duvall and David Gilmore, John Deere Senior vice president of Ag & Turf Sales & Marketing.

“This agreement reaffirms the longstanding commitment Deere has made to ensure our customers have the diagnostic tools and information they need to make many repairs to their machines,” Gilmore said. “We look forward to working alongside the American Farm Bureau and our customers in the months and years ahead to ensure farmers continue to have the tools and resources to diagnose, maintain and repair their equipment.”

The six-page MOU sets parameters and creates a mechanism to address farmers’ concerns. John Deere commits to engaging with farmers and dealers to resolve issues when they arise and agrees to meet with AFBF at least twice per year to evaluate progress.

The document validates farmers’ access to diagnostic and repair codes, as well as manuals and product guides. It also ensures farmers will be able to purchase diagnostic tools directly from John Deere and receive assistance from the manufacturer when ordering parts and products. The agreement won’t enable farmers to get data needed to modify equipment.

The MOU has the potential to serve as a model for other manufacturers, and AFBF has already begun those discussions.