A right to repair: why Nebraska farmers are taking on John Deere and Apple
by Olivia Solon in San Francisco from Environment | The Guardian on (#2EX65)
Farmers like fixing their own equipment, but rules imposed by big corporations are making it impossible. Now this small showdown could have a big impact
There are corn and soy fields as far as the eye can see around Kyle Schwarting's home in Ceresco, Nebraska. The 36-year-old farmer lives on a small plot of land peppered with large agricultural machines including tractors, planters and a combine harvester.
Parked up in front of his house is a bright red 27-ton Case tractor which has tracks instead of wheels. It's worth about $250,000, and there's a problem with it: an in-cab alarm sounds at ten-minute intervals to alert him to a faulty hydraulic connector he never needs to use.
Continue reading...