State Senator Jil Tracy has introduced a bill that would provide farmers the ability to fix their own equipment.
Multinational farm equipment manufacturers often have imposed severe restrictions on who can repair the products they sell. John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding last year with the American Farm Bureau Federation to give farmers the ability to fix their own equipment. Colorado was the first state to sign a right to repair bill into law. Fourteen other states are considering Right to Repair bills that include farm equipment in their scope.
Tracy’s bill would be a similar effort to provide a bill of rights to independent mechanics and farmers to work on their own equipment and require manufacturers to provide any documentation, parts, embedded software, firmware, or tools that are intended for use with the equipment or any part.
The Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into John Deere for antitrust practices concerning the right to repair.
The right to repair laws are supported by several agriculture groups across the country.
Tracy’s bill has been referred to the Senate’s Assignments Committee.
The IL General Assembly returns to session on Tuesday, Jan. 16.