Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.-05) introduced on Tuesday a first set of bills for the 2024 Farm Bill reauthorization to improve the safety and cost of farm equipment: the Farm Freedom to Repair Act and the Farm Equipment Safety Act.
“Food security is a national security issue,” Rep. Spartz said. “Ever-increasing government regulations have led to significant consolidation in agriculture and material increases in input costs. The Farm Bill should be a time to discuss how we can improve innovation and competition for value in agriculture. The two bills I introduced today will help to significantly reduce cost and improve safety of farm equipment, which is critical for all farmers, but particularly significant for smaller enterprises.”
The Farm Freedom to Repair Act would ensure that farmers have the right to repair digital agricultural equipment they own. “Big Ag” manufacturers have been abusing copyright law to deny farmers the right to repair their equipment.
The Farm Equipment Safety Act would exempt offroad farm equipment from burdensome emission regulations, which have led to unsafe, expensive, and inefficiently manufactured agricultural equipment. Military equipment is already exempt from such regulations for national security reasons.
Click here to read the Farm Freedom to Repair Act.
Click here to read the Farm Equipment Safety Act.