EPA Clarifies Right to Repair for Farmers, Challenging Manufacturer Control Over Equipment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued new guidance that fundamentally changes how American farmers can maintain their equipment, potentially saving thousands of dollars in repair costs while challenging long-standing manufacturer control over repair markets.

For years, equipment manufacturers have interpreted the Clean Air Act's emission control provisions as justification for restricting access to repair tools and software. This interpretation forced farmers to rely exclusively on manufacturer-authorized dealers for even basic repairs, creating bottlenecks during critical farming seasons and driving up costs.

The EPA's clarification makes clear that temporary overrides of emission control systems are explicitly allowed when the purpose is repair to restore proper functionality. This applies to all nonroad diesel engines with advanced emission control technologies, including selective catalytic reduction systems and Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system repairs.

The Economic Impact

According to Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, this regulatory clarification comes at a crucial time when equipment costs have risen an average of 45% due to inflation. The ability to perform repairs independently or through local shops could save farmers thousands of dollars per piece of equipment annually.

Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler emphasized that the guidance eliminates corporate middlemen, empowering farmers to fix their own equipment and reducing repair costs significantly. This change is particularly important for family farms operating on thin margins.

The Technical Reality

The guidance addresses a specific technical challenge: modern farm equipment relies heavily on software-controlled emission systems. When these systems malfunction, manufacturers have required farmers to use authorized dealers who have exclusive access to diagnostic tools and software updates.

Under the new interpretation, farmers and independent repair shops can now legally access the tools needed to diagnose and repair emission control systems, provided the work is done for legitimate repair purposes. This includes temporary overrides that allow equipment to function while permanent repairs are being made.

Historical Context

The issue gained momentum when John Deere formally requested EPA guidance in June 2025, asking the agency to confirm that temporary emission control overrides are permitted under the Clean Air Act. The EPA's response directly addresses this request, establishing clear parameters for what constitutes lawful repair activity.

Prior to this guidance, many farmers resorted to using older equipment without modern emission controls simply because they could repair it themselves. This created a perverse incentive where farmers were choosing less environmentally friendly equipment to maintain operational independence.

The EPA emphasizes that this guidance does not weaken emission standards or reduce compliance obligations. Instead, it clarifies existing law to ensure that emission control requirements don't become barriers to necessary maintenance and repair activities.

Broader Implications

This regulatory shift represents a significant victory for the right-to-repair movement, which has long argued that manufacturers use intellectual property claims and regulatory interpretations to maintain monopolistic control over repair markets.

The guidance could accelerate the adoption of newer, more efficient farm equipment by removing the repair-related barriers that have discouraged farmers from upgrading. Newer equipment typically offers better fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and improved productivity features.

For the agricultural sector, this change arrives at a critical juncture. Farmers face increasing pressure to improve efficiency while managing rising input costs. The ability to control repair costs and timing could provide a meaningful competitive advantage, particularly during planting and harvesting seasons when equipment downtime is especially costly.

Implementation and Next Steps

The EPA's guidance applies immediately to all nonroad diesel equipment. Farmers and independent repair shops can now legally access repair tools and software that were previously restricted to manufacturer-authorized dealers.

The agency has published detailed guidance explaining the parameters of lawful repair activities under the Clean Air Act. This document provides specific examples of permitted temporary overrides and clarifies the distinction between repair activities and modifications that would violate emission standards.

This regulatory clarification represents a significant shift in the balance of power between equipment manufacturers and equipment owners. By affirming the right to repair within the framework of environmental regulations, the EPA has created new opportunities for farmers to maintain their equipment more affordably while still meeting emission control requirements.

The guidance also aligns with broader trends toward equipment owner autonomy and could influence similar regulatory discussions in other industries where manufacturers have used safety or environmental regulations to restrict repair access.

For American agriculture, this change could mean the difference between profitable operations and financial strain, particularly for smaller farms that cannot absorb the high costs of manufacturer-exclusive repairs. The timing during a period of economic pressure on the agricultural sector makes this guidance especially impactful.

As farmers begin to exercise their newly clarified rights, the agricultural equipment market may see shifts in both repair service patterns and equipment purchasing decisions. The long-term effects could reshape how agricultural technology is maintained and upgraded across the country.

The EPA's action demonstrates how regulatory clarification can resolve conflicts between environmental protection goals and economic realities faced by American farmers, potentially setting a precedent for similar interventions in other sectors where repair restrictions have created economic burdens.