Farmers can work on their own equipment

ST. LOUIS — The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA) made a joint industry commitment, Feb. 1, to provide comprehensive service information tools to end users of farm equipment for tractors and combines in model year 2021.

EDA and AEM’s Ag Sector Board debuted a Statement of Principles that affirms the industry’s commitment to providing the tools farmers and ranchers need to minimize downtime and maximize productivity of farm equipment.

The Statement of Principles makes so-called “Right to Repair” legislation sought by special interest groups unnecessary. Manufacturers will make available through authorized dealers the following diagnostic and repair information beginning with tractors and combines put into service on or after Jan. 1, 2021:

Related:
Can I fix my own tractor?

• Manuals (operator, parts, service)
• Product guides
• Product service demonstrations, training, seminars, or clinics
• Fleet management information
• On-board diagnostics via diagnostics port or wireless interface
• Electronic field diagnostic service tools, and training on how to use them
• Other publications with information on service, parts, operation, and safety

In conjunction with the Statement of Principles, AEM and EDA also launched a new website, which features a short video that visually explains the Statement of Principles in detail. These tools will be used in communications activities with state lawmakers in the coming months.

Right to Repair

Manufacturers and dealers have opposed Right to Repair proposals in various state legislatures because of concerns that the broad terms of those proposals would risk machinery’s compliance with safety and environmental regulations, and undercut the investments manufacturers make in developing onboard software. AEM and EDA will continue to oppose overly-broad legislation that would grant access to source code onboard farm equipment.

Many manufacturers are already making service information available to customers, or will do so soon. The Statement of Principles is intended to go above and beyond to provide a baseline industry commitment of service information for customers.