Clarification in the Right-To-Repair Legislation

National Farmers Union Vice President of Advocacy, Mike Stranz, explains that tractor manufacturers have been using language from the Clean Air Act to push back against right-to-repair legislation.

“One of the arguments that has been made in opposition to allowing farmers the right to repair is that these equipment manufacturers have invoked EPA regulations, particularly the Clean Air Act as justification for their need to control and restrict repair. The thought being I guess that tampering or altering the emissions control systems would result in farmers were given the right to repair.”

Stranz says that the NFU has asked the Environmental Protection Agency for clarification on this point, and EPA, the agency that oversees the Clean Air Act has responded with a letter on the matter.

“We got a letter from EPA Administrator Mike Regan, talking about how the importance of the right to repair is there. And that using the justification that emissions control systems would be in jeopardy as farmers were allowed to write to prepare just doesn't stand up at something with the Clean Air Act. So it was good to get that clarity from EPA, that using the clean air act as the excuse for not allowing farmers the right to repair just doesn't hold water.”

National Farmers Union Vice President of Advocacy, Mike Stranz.