Advocates are calling for North Carolina and other states to pass "right-to-repair" legislation for a host of machinery, including tractors and agricultural equipment but manufacturers said such laws threaten intellectual property.

In 2022, the Tar Heel State was on the cusp of passing a right-to-repair provision into state law but the bill was struck down after facing heavy pushback from equipment companies. Since then, no legislation has been able to make headway in Raleigh.

Nathan Proctor, Right to Repair Campaign senior director for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, said a farmer should have the means to repair their equipment without manufacturer intervention.

"You should be able to fix your stuff," Proctor contended. "If there is a special software tool you can use at the John Deere dealer to fix your tractor, you should be able to get access to that same software tool so that you don’t have to go to the dealership to be able to conduct repairs."

Manufacturing groups and opponents of right-to-repair laws argued the policies can lead to concerns over safety and the protection of industry patents.

The headaches of dealership repairs create complications for shrinking farm ownership. Between 2017 and 2022, the U.S. lost more than 140,000 farms. Proctor pointed out slow service for a broken piece of equipment can spell disaster for a small farm.

"Delays can be basically devastating to your business," Proctor emphasized. "If you can’t harvest or plant or put down fertilizer in the window that you need to, that could completely ruin your yield and your profit for the year."

Some members of Congress have signed onto national right-to-repair legislation for trucks and vehicles but the bill has failed to make headway in Washington.

Source: Public News Service