SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, January 8, 2023 – Alabama farmers will soon benefit from an agreement signed today to ensure producers’ right to repair their own farm equipment.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), of which the Alabama Farmers Federation is a member, and John Deere at the 2023 AFBF Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“It is more important now than ever that our farmers have the tools, information and resources they need to repair their own equipment when they need, where they need,” said Federation President Jimmy Parnell. “Equipment is expensive; it and other input costs keep rising, so getting a crop in the ground or out of the field in a timely manner is important and critical to our bottom line. We’re excited to see how this memorandum practically affects our farmers.”

The MOU is the culmination of several years of discussions between AFBF and John Deere and 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 agreement formalizes farmers’ access to diagnostic and repair codes, as well as manuals (operator, parts, service, etc.) 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 MOU allows independent mechanics or repair shops access to those same tools.

John Deere Senior Vice President of Ag & Turf Sales & Marketing David Gilmore said the agreement reaffirms the longstanding commitment Deere has to ensure customers have diagnostic tools and information they need to make many repairs to their machines.

“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,” Gilmore said.

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

Read the MOU here.