A tractor rests parked on the property of Bountiful Orchards Aug. 19 in Monitor. The state Legislature passed legislation this year to make it easier for individuals and independent businesses to repair electronic devices, but farm equipment was excluded.
For local growers, repairing a piece of farming equipment can cost not only money but time. Grower Blaine Smith of Bountiful Farms in Monitor said a tractor repair last year cost $10,000.
According to state Rep. Tom Dent, many farmers and community members would prefer to make repairs on their devices and equipment themselves, but manufacturers keep certain parts, as well as the information and tools to fix them, from being available on the open market.
“There’s a lot of electronics in there that you have to understand,” Dent said. “In order to understand, you need information from the manufacturer, and they’re not willing to sometimes let that go.”
Right to Repair, or HB 1483, passed nearly unanimously in the state Legislature earlier this year, but it focused on electronic devices. Farming equipment was one of the sectors specifically excluded from the bill.
The bill limits corporations from withholding parts and plans for electronic devices, meaning that individuals and small, independent businesses can make repairs without having to go to a manufacturer-specific store or void the warranty on the device.
According to primary sponsor Rep. Mia Gregerson, this will reduce e-waste. Currently, said Gregerson, 85,000 cellphones are thrown away each year in the state because it is cheaper or more convenient to replace them.
Gregerson first got involved in the legislation while working on the Washington State Digital Equity Act. She said the COVID-19 pandemic revealed how lower-income Washingtonians have unequal access to electronics. Because people relied on technology for work and classes, many families had no choice but to replace a device if it broke because they had no accessible options for repair.
The cost of replacing these devices is a particular burden on those living paycheck-to-paycheck, said Gregerson, as well as residents of rural communities, who may face an extra cost of travel.
“Rural areas often mean that the closest larger community, which would have a service office, might still be a couple of hours away,” said John DeVaney, president of the Washington Tree Fruit Association.
The legislature also passed a related bill for repairs on mobility equipment, such as wheelchairs, this year. Gregerson said the segmentation was intentional to avoid a long floor debate.
“That’s often the better approach from a public policy perspective: start small, learn, and then continue to discuss an issue,” DeVaney said.
Keeping equipment running as long as possible in 'farming DNA'
According to DeVaney, growers are less inclined to replace farm equipment than electronic devices because of the scale of the machinery.
“That strange incentive to throw something out that could be repaired is usually not the case with a tractor,” DeVaney said. “You’re going to find some way to get that repaired.”
Smith said that his orchard has had some of its equipment for 40 years. He said they would like to invest in equipment with new technology, but they can’t afford to.
“It is certainly in farming DNA to keep equipment operating as long as possible,” DeVaney said.
Farm equipment also varies from digital devices because many growers buy parts and make repairs themselves.
"On repairs where trained technicians or specialized diagnostic equipment isn't required, a lot of growers do their own repairs,” said Robert Bender, store manager of Burrows Tractor in Wenatchee.
A farm worker pulls a box of pears using a tractor at Bountiful Orchards on Aug. 19 in Monitor. The state Legislature passed legislation this year to make it easier for individuals and independent businesses to repair electronic devices, but farm equipment was excluded.
He said some farms have their own technicians, and the staff at Burrows Tractor can talk growers through some repairs, such as replacing ignition switches and other parts, over the phone.
However, DeVaney said that these types of repairs are more likely after a piece of equipment’s warranty has expired. A manufacturer may refuse to service a piece of equipment or a part if a grower had made repairs previously.
A balancing act
Dent said he sees the potential of right-to-repair legislation to even the playing field for independent technicians such as the one who repairs his farm equipment.
“He’s just trying to make a living, and he loves to do it, and he’s good at it,” Dent said. “You know, open up the market so these folks can have some of this market share.”
On the other hand, Dent said, right-to-repair legislation should balance the interests of smaller repair shops to serve their communities with the privacy of larger manufacturers.
“We have to figure out how we can let Tom’s Tractor Repair fix the tractor without giving him information that could affect John Deere’s bottom line,” Dent said.
HB 1483 specifies that the bill does not require companies to divulge any information that would reveal industry trade secrets. DeVaney said protecting the manufacturers' right to intellectual property is important because growers are wary of disincentivizing investment in farm equipment innovation.
“We don’t really need any additional reasons for investors to stay away from investing in agriculture technology,” DeVaney said. “It’s not clear that that would happen, but it’s been hard enough to get continued investment in some of these fields.”
Furthering the discussion
The right to repair their equipment is one part of an ongoing conversation between growers and the state legislature.
The Washington State Treefruit Association visited with state legislators earlier this year to discuss issues such as exemptions on fuel taxes for agricultural transport and overtime work pay requirements, according to DeVaney. The association brings fruit to the meetings to educate legislators about the importance of their work.
“When you frame it as ‘we’re producing your food,’ then they’re much more open to some of those discussions,” DeVaney said.
Gregerson said she and her colleagues are open to discussing right-to-repair legislation with input from growers and farm equipment service providers. One of her other priorities is pursuing right-to-repair legislation for medical devices.
Washington is the seventh state to pass right-to-repair legislation. It has also been introduced federally by Marie Glusenkamp Perez, who represents Washington’s 3rd District in Congress.
HB 1483 was signed by Gov. Ferguson in May and goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
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