At the American Farm Bureau Convention in Puerto Rico, Farm Bureau and John Deere announced a memorandum of understanding that will allow farmers to repair their own equipment.
“I think it’s a game changer because, you know, working on equipment has been a challenge,” says Indiana Farm Bureau President Randy Kron, chatting with Hoosier Ag Today from Puerto Rico Monday.
“The diagnostics tools that you need, they haven’t made available. You have to go to your Deere dealer. So, now that is going to be available to independent mechanics and to farmers. So, they’ll be able to work on their own equipment if they want to and if they’re qualified. This is a huge move.”
Kron, who is also on the American Farm Bureau board of directors, says this announcement follows a years-long effort by a Farm Bureau task force assembled by President Zippy Duvall to address the issue. Kron says the work isn’t quite done yet though.
“The hope is now, we’ll see how it plays out, that once they they’ve gone down this path, the others will fall in line, but time will tell… we’re talking John Deere now, but I think you’re going to see down the road it will probably be all implement companies.”
