Bill Overview
Title: Agricultural Right to Repair Act
Description: This bill requires original manufacturers of electronics-enabled agricultural equipment to provide (on fair and reasonable terms) owners or independent repair shops with the documentation, parts, software, and tools needed to diagnose, maintain, or repair such equipment. If an original manufacturer stops providing required items, any related copyrights or patents held by that manufacturer shall be placed in the public domain. Furthermore, the bill allows individuals, in specified circumstances, to circumvent copyright protections to facilitate diagnosis, maintenance, or repair of electronics-enabled agricultural equipment. The bill provides for enforcement through the Federal Trade Commission.
Sponsors: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Target Audience
Population: People using or servicing electronics-enabled agricultural equipment
Estimated Size: 5000000
- The bill affects owners of electronics-enabled agricultural equipment, which includes farmers and agricultural businesses who rely on such machinery for operations.
- It also impacts independent repair shops that specialize in agricultural equipment, as they will have greater access to tools and parts for repair.
- The right to repair movement is relevant globally as electronic apparatuses are used in agriculture worldwide.
- The provision against copyright protection circumvention indicates a potential change in how electronic repair services are accessed and provided, impacting service sectors related to machinery maintenance.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily impacts farmers and repair shop owners involved with agricultural equipment, estimated around 5 million people in the U.S.
- Budget constraints suggest the need for careful implementation and monitoring to avoid unnecessary expenses and to focus on the areas of greatest need.
- We envision the policy having beneficial impacts mostly in rural areas where agricultural activities and machinery usage are predominant.
- The costs are potentially mitigated by the increased efficiency and longevity of farm equipment, which can lead to improved economic outputs.
- Independent repair shops, while benefiting from access to parts and documentation, also represent a smaller segment of the population compared to farmers.
Simulated Interviews
Corn Farmer (Iowa)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy would greatly reduce my maintenance costs and downtime during critical harvest and planting seasons.
- It will allow me to choose where to have repairs done, saving time and ensuring machinery is running optimally.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Technology Repair Shop Owner (California)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's about time we got access to the same tools and parts the manufacturers have.
- This will help me expand my business and offer competitive prices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Cattle Rancher (Texas)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Not having to wait weeks for the manufacturer's techs to arrive is a huge benefit.
- I like that it encourages innovation around equipment use.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Research Scientist - Agriculture Tech (North Dakota)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will potentially foster innovation and research into more sustainable farming technologies.
- Farmers having direct access to tech repair tools aligns with my research objectives.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Peanut Farmer (Georgia)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being able to do repairs myself or with local services is going to save me a lot of trouble.
- It's often difficult to afford repairs, so this policy is a relief.
- Direct access to parts means less stress over finding working machinery.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired Farmer (Ohio)
Age: 64 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If this had come a decade earlier, my operation would have been much smoother.
- It will help my community farmers reduce costs which are critical these days.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Ag Tech Startup Founder (Illinois)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy aligns perfectly with our business goals of open-access in ag tech.
- The greater accessibility will likely spur increased innovation in the sector which benefits us all.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Agricultural Equipment Dealer (Nebraska)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could change our sales focus, possibly reducing demand for new equipment.
- I'm worried about potential impacts on our business model, yet see value for clients.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Drone Technician for Farms (Kentucky)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The Act means I can work on more complex repairs which currently have legal barriers.
- More accessible tools and software will expand my service offerings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Wheat Farmer (Kansas)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I look forward to potentially lower repair and maintenance costs.
- Delay and high costs have been burdensome under manufacturer constraints.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $70000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $90000000)
Year 2: $72000000 (Low: $52000000, High: $92000000)
Year 3: $74000000 (Low: $54000000, High: $94000000)
Year 5: $80000000 (Low: $58000000, High: $98000000)
Year 10: $90000000 (Low: $68000000, High: $108000000)
Year 100: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy's impact on agricultural machinery manufacturers could be substantial, potentially reducing their revenue streams.
- Legal challenges might arise from manufacturers regarding copyright and patent rights infringements.
- Economic benefits to farmers and repair shops could be tempered by fluctuating agricultural market dynamics.