LINCOLN, NE – As the price of digital repairs through local farm equipment dealerships skyrockets, Nebraska could be the first state to give farmers the right to repair their own equipment.
Farmers across the state point to dealerships they say are taking advantage of the newest technology found in equipment to create another revenune stream for themselves by making computer repair codes unavailable to equipment owners.
According to Brownfield Ag News, Nebraska State Senator Tom Brandt, a farmer and Republican from Plymouth, has introduced legislation that would require dealerships to provide access to digital repairs. ”
LB 543 was voted out of the judiciary committee last week and is expected to be debated by the full Unicameral before the session ends in late March.
Brandt told Brownfield he hopes this puts pressure on the major dealerships to sign a national memorandum of understanding that would create a platform for owners and third-party mechanics to have access to digital repairs.
The measure is supported by several state agriculture groups, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Nebraska State Dairy Association, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Pork Producers, Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Soybean Association and Nebraska Wheat Growers Association.
States that have introduced Right to Repair in recent legislative sessions
