{"id":235,"date":"2022-02-23T23:37:48","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T04:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/edfund\/resources\/deere-headlights-ii-2\/"},"modified":"2022-08-31T18:04:57","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T22:04:57","slug":"deere-in-the-headlights-ii","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/dev.pirg-test.com\/edfund\/resources\/deere-in-the-headlights-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Deere in the Headlights II"},"featured_media":11473,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":""},"campaign_tax":[141],"display_option":[],"issue_tax":[],"resource_type":[64],"region_tax":[],"state":[5,7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,2,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"topic_tax":[119,116],"class_list":["post-235","resource","type-resource","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"details":{"helper_taxonomies":{"topics":[119,116],"collection":false,"press_type":false,"person_type":false,"resource_type":64,"event_type":false,"campaigns":141,"department":false,"level":false,"states":[5,7,8,9,12,13,16,18,23,24,25,28,2,32,33,34,36,38,40,41,42,46,50,52],"act_option":false,"display_option":false,"primary":{"topic":116}},"subtitle":"How dealership consolidation reduces repair choice for farmers","excerpt":"When it comes to fixing farm equipment, farmers have to turn to the dealership for many repairs because dealership technicians can access software tools that farmers can\u2019t. That can lead to high costs and long repair delays that can put farmers\u2019 crops and livelihoods at risk. Dealership consolidation \u2014 particularly by John Deere \u2014 magnifies these problems by further eroding repair choices for farmers. We researched just how big the consolidation problem is and how Right to Repair could immediately and dramatically expand repair choices for farmers.","featured_image":11473,"caption_override":"smereka vis Shutterstock.com","updated_on":null,"sidebar_action":"","related_event":"","hide_hero_image":false,"location":"","external_link":{"publication_name":"","url":""},"file":null,"sidebar_action_query_string":""},"helper_people_group":{"title":"Authors","entities":[{"type":"dynamic","dynamic_person":{"site":16,"people":"132"},"information":{"name":"","image":null,"role":"","biography":"","contact":{"twitter":"","facebook":"","email":"","phone":""}}}]},"helper_downloads":{"title":"Downloads","files":[{"file":100000000043500,"title":"Report PDF"}]},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

When it comes to fixing farm equipment, farmers have to turn to the dealership for many repairs because dealership technicians can access software tools that farmers can\u2019t. That can lead to high costs and long repair delays that can put farmers\u2019 crops and livelihoods at risk. Dealership consolidation \u2014 particularly by John Deere \u2014 magnifies these problems by further eroding repair choices for farmers. We researched just how big the consolidation problem is and how Right to Repair could immediately and dramatically expand repair choices for farmers.<\/p>","":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_slideshow","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_slideshow":{"title":"","slides":[{"image":43501,"caption_override":"\u201cWhen you look up an error code online, it tells you 30 different things that could be wrong. It could be the injector plug, it could be a failed sensor, it could be that the Diesel Emissions Fluid pump is not putting out. With software, the dealer can see specifically which one of those pieces is the issue. But because I can\u2019t get that software, I have to chase parts, throwing money at the problem and replacing things until the problem goes away. Sometimes it\u2019s just a software problem\u2014you just need to go and reset it. I can\u2019t do that.\u201d - Minnesota farmer Wyatt Parks"},{"image":43502,"caption_override":"\u201cEven if [John Deere] continues to have this repair monopoly, if they had some segmentation, it would provide some incentive for these dealerships to do a better job. The fact that they have consolidated so much means that they absolutely don\u2019t have to at all because you just have no other choice.\u201d - Missouri farmer Jared Wilson"},{"image":43503,"caption_override":"\u201cWhen I first started farming, there were three family-owned dealerships within 45 minutes of my ranch. Now I have to drive nearly four hours to get to a second dealership chain.\u201d - Walter Schweitzer, a third-generation farmer and president of the Montana Farmers Union"},{"image":43504,"caption_override":"\u201cI don\u2019t like the idea that we just can\u2019t do anything for ourselves, and we have to rely on mom and dad and big corporate America to make it all better and tuck us in at night.\u201d - Minnesota farmer Wyatt Parks"}]}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Software repair locks tie farmers to dealers, putting equipment uptime \u2014 and sometimes crops \u2014 at risk<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\n\r\nFarmers and ranchers rely on equipment such as tractors and combine harvesters to produce America\u2019s food supply. Over the years, that equipment has gotten bigger, more expensive and more digital. The software integrated in modern tractors, ostensibly created to make farm operations more efficient, can be used by manufacturers to lock farmers out of fixing their own equipment<\/a>.\r\n\r\nIf tractors were like cars, farmers would be able to choose between fixing their equipment themselves, hiring an independent mechanic to do it for them, or driving to the dealer. That is because 86% of Massachusetts voters<\/a> approved an automotive Right to Repair ballot measure that was eventually adopted by the industry nationwide<\/a>. This law, on which farmers and advocates modeled Agricultural Right to Repair legislation, requires auto manufacturers to provide car owners and independent repair shops with access to necessary repair materials.\r\n\r\nBut no Right to Repair law exists for agricultural equipment. That means some necessary software tools are not available to farmers, independent repair mechanics, or anyone who is not manufacturer-approved.\r\n\r\nTherefore, farmers must turn to dealer technicians for certain repairs, as these are the only parties that can get access to necessary software repair tools<\/a>. Forced dealer service can cause farmers to face long delays and high repair costs<\/a> when their equipment breaks down. When a tractor malfunctions during planting, harvest or threatening weather, a farmer\u2019s crop and livelihood can hang in the balance.\r\n

Dealership consolidation further erodes farmers\u2019 repair choices<\/h3>\r\n
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\r\n\r\nThis repair monopoly makes local dealerships incredibly important to a farmer\u2019s operation. But these dealerships are dwindling. According to the survey conducted by U.S. PIRG Education Fund and National Farmers Union, 65% of the 74 farmers who responded report having access to fewer dealerships than five years ago. At the same time, many farmers report that local mom and pop dealers were bought by larger chains, resulting in the consolidation confirmed in our findings.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_embed","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_embed":{"width":"narrow","type":"code","title":"","code":"\r\n
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