Ensure farmers can repair the digital agricultural equipment they own without manufacturer restrictions.

The Farm Freedom to Repair Act would ensure farmers have the right to repair the digital agricultural equipment they own, helping reduce costly delays and dependence on manufacturers for basic repairs.

Committed to a right-to-repair policy for farm equipment.

Spartz Introduces Bills to Reduce Costs for Farmers and Consumers | Representative Victoria Spartz
primary · press_release · model gpt-5.4-mini

A May 15, 2026 WSJ report said a new lawsuit against Deere alleged the company still restricts access to diagnostic and repair software, with the complaint saying Deere dealers had exclusive access to the tools needed for repairs and that independent repair competition was being blocked.

Recent litigation shows the repair-access dispute is still active after Deere's earlier farm-equipment settlement, so the underlying promise remains unresolved rather than clearly delivered.

unresolved same_term

Right-to-Repair Advocates Are Taking On Deere Again-This Time in Construction
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 65%

The White House fact sheet said the order would make it easier and cheaper to repair owned items by limiting manufacturers from barring self-repairs or third-party repairs. In agriculture, it said equipment makers use proprietary tools, software, and diagnostics to block third-party repairs, and that the order encouraged the FTC to limit tractor companies from blocking farmers' own repairs.

Federal executive action during Spartz's first House term recognized the farm-equipment repair problem and directed FTC attention to it, but this was an administration action, not legislation or action credited to Spartz, and it did not itself guarantee repair access.

partial same_term

FACT SHEET: Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 86%

The FTC reported that many repairs require specialized tools, hard-to-obtain parts, and proprietary diagnostic software, leaving consumers with limited choices. It also identified software locks, unavailable parts, manuals, and diagnostic tools as repair restrictions, and said the Commission stood ready to work with legislators on access to replacement parts, instructions, and diagnostic software.

The FTC report supports that the promised problem existed and that federal action was still needed; it did not establish a farmer right to repair agricultural equipment and does not show Spartz-led delivery.

unresolved same_term

Nixing the Fix: An FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 87%

AP reported that John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation signed a memorandum of understanding intended to ensure farmers and ranchers have the right to repair their own farm equipment, including access to many tools and software needed to keep equipment running.

The private MOU was meaningful outside progress after Spartz's first term, but it was not a federal guarantee, not Spartz-sponsored, and did not remove all manufacturer restrictions.

partial later_term

John Deere, farm group reach deal on fixing equipment
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 82%

Colorado's enacted bill requires agricultural equipment manufacturers, starting January 1, 2024, to provide owners and independent repair providers parts, embedded software, firmware, tools, documentation, manuals, diagrams, and similar resources for diagnosis, maintenance, or repair. The page says the act would be repealed if Congress enacted federal agricultural right-to-repair legislation.

Colorado delivered a state-level version of the promise for Colorado, showing real policy progress, but it was not nationwide federal delivery and not attributable to Spartz.

partial later_term

HB23-1011 Consumer Right To Repair Ag Equipment
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 88%

AP reported that the FTC sued Deere, alleging Deere unfairly forced farmers to visit authorized dealers by making repair software available only to dealers, making it impossible for owners to seek less-costly repairs. The FTC chair said farmers should be free to repair their own equipment or use repair shops of their choice.

The 2025 FTC suit is strong evidence that manufacturer restrictions still allegedly blocked farmers from repairing their equipment well after Spartz took office, so the promise was not fully delivered.

unresolved later_term

FTC sues Deere & Co. for monopolizing farm-equipment repair market
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%

AP reported that Deere agreed to a $99 million proposed settlement in a 2022 class action alleging it withheld repair software and forced farmers to use authorized dealers. The settlement included injunctive relief aimed at improving repair resources and diagnostic checks, while Deere still faced separate FTC litigation.

The proposed settlement is partial outside progress toward repair access, but it required court approval, did not admit wrongdoing, did not resolve the FTC case, and was not a Spartz legislative achievement.

partial later_term

Deere & Co agrees to pay $99 million to settle 'right to repair' lawsuit
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 86%

The Wall Street Journal reported that farmers remained skeptical after Deere's settlement, with the National Farmers Union saying the promised software was not as thorough as dealer tools and that advocates were counting on the FTC lawsuit for lasting changes.

This supports a partial-not-delivered assessment: even after settlement progress, advocates and farmers still saw unresolved access gaps and looked to federal litigation for stronger relief.

unresolved later_term

Deere Settled for $99 Million Over Repair Costs. Farmers Are Still Worried.
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 78%

The Wall Street Journal reported that a new Deere lawsuit alleged the same core issue as the farm-equipment case: restricted access to software needed for diagnosis and repair, forcing equipment owners to use authorized dealers. Deere said it supports customers who want to do their own repairs.

Although focused on construction and forestry equipment, the article shows the broader Deere repair-access dispute continued after the farm settlement, reinforcing that manufacturer software restrictions had not been conclusively eliminated.

unresolved later_term

Right-to-Repair Advocates Are Taking On Deere Again-This Time in Construction
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 67%

Rep. Spartz's official press-release page listed April 2026 farm-related actions on exempting large farm tractors, combines, and sprayers from EPA emissions standards and increasing commodity checkoff transparency; the page search showed no matching press release text for repair.

Spartz had farm-equipment-related official activity, but the available official office page did not show a concrete action to secure farmers' digital equipment repair rights. This weighs against giving her an effort badge for this promise.

never later_term

Press Releases | Representative Victoria Spartz
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 70%