EPA clears air on Farmers’ equipment Repair Rights

Sep 11, 2023

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given a boost to farmers. They've stated that the Clean Air Act (CAA) shouldn't be a barrier for farmers wanting to repair their equipment themselves.

Some equipment makers and sellers had previously claimed EPA rules and the CAA as reasons to put limits on repairs. Their argument is that independent fixes might interfere with systems controlling pollution. However, NFU's head, Rob Larew, suggests these claims by manufacturers were just excuses to limit independent repairs.

In a significant move, EPA's Administrator Regan penned a letter to the National Farmers Union (NFU). He mentioned that their concern isn't about who repairs the equipment but about preventing wrongful tampering. He expressed that proper care and mending of equipment is good for our planet. Thus, he supports any rules that let farmers fix their equipment as long as they don’t mess with emission controls.

The NFU is pushing for a nationwide rule. They want farmers and mechanics to be able to fix farming tools at fair prices. President Larew emphasizes that the freedom to repair is crucial for ensuring fairness in the agricultural sector.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

We're a 6th generation family farm in southeast Iowa showing the real ups and downs of pig farming and row crop farming. No script, just the work. Subscribe and follow along.

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