Jan. 23 2020 10:36 AM

Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) president Dennis Slater issued the following statement in response to reports that the American Farm Bureau Federation is supporting farmers’ right to repair their own equipment:

The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

“We applaud the Farm Bureau for joining us in supporting a farmer’s ability to repair their equipment,” said Dennis Slater, president of AEM. “Our industries are inextricably linked – when farmers succeed, manufacturers prosper. That is why we are providing the tools and resources they need to maximize productivity and minimize downtime. We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the Farm Bureau and other stakeholders on farmers’ ability to repair their own equipment, and how we can work together to address the unintended consequences of illegal tampering.”

For more details about the industry’s commitment to help ensure farmers have access to the resources and tools they need, please visit https://r2rsolutions.org.

AEM is the North American-based international trade group representing off-road equipment manufacturers and suppliers, with more than 1,000 companies and more than 200 product lines in the agriculture and construction-related industry sectors worldwide. The equipment manufacturing industry supports 1.3 million jobs in the U.S. Equipment manufacturers also contribute $159 billion to the U.S. economy. AEM is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2019.

Visit www.aem.org/advocacy for more information.