This week was a big one for the Right to Repair movement. With final passage and expected signage of the bill by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Colorado will become the first state in the nation to put the Right to Repair into law.
Major farm equipment manufacturers have been refusing to make the software tools necessary to repair modern tractors, combines, and other farm equipment fully available to farmers and independent mechanics. This leaves farmers no choice but to take their broken equipment to licensed dealerships, which has led to repair delays and inflated repair costs.
Right to Repair is a key issue in NFU’s Fairness for Farmers campaign, which aims to build fairer and more competitive agricultural markets, and to address the monopoly crisis in agriculture.
“We have been tireless advocates for farmers and ranchers on this issue for years and are very proud that we were intimately involved in the passage of the bill in Colorado,” says Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President Chad Franke. “Farmers and ranchers in Colorado will now be able to diagnose and repair their own equipment however they choose. In addition to still being able to have a dealer diagnose and repair the equipment, farmers and ranchers now also have the opportunity to use an independent repair provider if they choose not to fix the equipment themselves. Simply put, farmers and ranchers now have the freedom to choose how to repair the equipment that they own without the burdensome restrictions that could leave their equipment down at a critical time for their operation.”
Passage of HB 23-1011 marks the beginning of ensuring farmers’ fair and affordable repair access. NFU will continue to fight alongside partners and advocates to secure the Right to Repair for all consumers.
