Sen. Welch Promotes Right-to-Repair Farm Equipment Legislation During Vermont State University Visit
Why It Matters
Vermont farmers and hospitals could see reduced costs and greater independence from corporate repair monopolies if federal and state right-to-repair legislation advances. The push centers on a core property-rights argument: that individuals and institutions should be free to maintain equipment they own without being forced to rely on — and pay — manufacturer-approved dealers.
The issue touches on free-market competition, consumer protection, and the financial pressures facing Vermont’s agricultural and rural healthcare sectors.
What Happened
U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., spoke at ReuseVT’s inaugural ReuseApalooza conference on April 17, 2026, held at the Randolph Center campus of Vermont State University. The event included a repair fair, a “drop and swap” used-goods exchange, and workshops focused on reuse and waste reduction.
Welch used the appearance to highlight the Freedom for Agricultural Repair and Maintenance (FARM) Act, a piece of federal legislation he introduced last October. The bill would require equipment manufacturers to share software, parts, and documentation with farmers and independent repair technicians, giving agricultural operators the legal right to repair their own machinery.
“They have to call the dealer. They have to wait till the repair [person] comes out, and they have to have it repaired on site, and that costs some time. It could be a harvest season, and honestly cost a lot of money,” Welch said, describing the current situation facing farmers locked into manufacturer-controlled repair systems.
By the Numbers
$99 million — the amount John Deere agreed to pay as part of a class action settlement resolving accusations that the company monopolized repair services for farm equipment.
$600 to $800 per hour — repair rates cited by state Rep. Monique Priestley for manufacturer-controlled medical device servicing, costs she argues are passed on to Vermont patients.
Over 80% — the share of biomedical professionals nationally who report that repair restrictions cause equipment downtime frequently or most of the time, according to figures cited by Priestley.
Two related state bills — H.161, the Vermont Fair Repair Act covering farm and consumer equipment, and H.160, addressing the right to repair medical devices — are currently before the Vermont legislature, though neither is expected to pass this session.
Zoom Out
The right-to-repair movement has gained traction across the country as farmers, hospitals, and consumers push back against large manufacturers that restrict access to parts, software, and repair documentation. The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against John Deere in 2025 alleging the company forces farmers to use its dealer network, artificially driving up repair costs — a case that remains active.
At the state level, Vermont is not alone. Multiple states have considered or passed right-to-repair legislation covering electronics, farm equipment, and medical devices. Supporters argue these measures restore property rights and promote free-market competition by breaking up repair monopolies. Critics, primarily manufacturers, argue the laws risk exposing proprietary technology and could raise liability concerns.
Vermont’s own legislative effort on agricultural right-to-repair has seen a similar pattern: a prior bill, H.81, passed the House with near-unanimous support before dying in the Senate in 2024. Its successor, H.161, was introduced last year and is co-sponsored by state Rep. Monique Priestley, D-Bradford. The push has since expanded to include medical devices through H.160. For more on Vermont’s shifting political landscape, see our coverage of the governor’s appointment bypassing Democratic recommendations in Burlington.
What’s Next
Priestley acknowledged that passage of either Vermont right-to-repair bill this legislative session is unlikely, citing ongoing opposition from large corporations. “Large corporations came forward to oppose this bill, just like they fought our agricultural right-to-repair bill,” she said, signaling that advocates are preparing for a prolonged effort.
At the federal level, Welch’s FARM Act remains in the proposal stage, with no vote scheduled. Devon Green of the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems testified in support of H.160, telling lawmakers: “From our perspective, if this bill provides a cost-effective path to fix hospital equipment, and we are convinced it does, then we support it.”
Priestley described the strategy as a long game, with the goal of expanding right-to-repair protections across industries — starting where, she argued, Vermonters face the sharpest costs. Vermont’s rural communities, including those served by transit systems facing their own budget pressures as seen in the Green Mountain Transit Essex route debate, stand to be among those most affected by the outcome of both the state and federal efforts.