This week, the Federal Trade Commission voted to fight Right to Repair Restrictions. Their vote strengthens enforcement against illegal restrictions that prevent small businesses, workers and consumers from repairing their own belongings. North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne says the FTC decision is a major win for agriculture.

He says farmers need the ability to be able to repair their equipment especially when they’re in the field harvesting or planting where time becomes a critical factor and any delay can be very costly.

Watne says his hope is that the FTC ruling will lead to additional beneficial agency decisions on Right to Repair and even to legislation that will benefit farmers and ranchers going forward.

The FTC decision follows a recent Executive Order that urged the agency to address unfair anticompetitive restrictions on their party repair or self repair of items.