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For a long time, consumers have been asking companies for the option to fix things like phones, computers and machines at home.
Before January 8, farmers in the US were only allowed to use authorized parts and service centers for their John Deere farm equipment. Cheaper repair options were not allowed.
On Sunday, January 8, Deere & Co., one of the largest farming equipment companies in the world, and The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) signed a new agreement.
The president of AFBF, Zippy Duvall, says that the agreement helps farmers when they need tools, information and resources. The agreement also makes sure that John Deere’s intellectual property is protected, and the farm equipment is safe to use.
The new agreement says that people who own John Deere equipment and people who fix it are not allowed to share secret information about the equipment. They are also not allowed to change safety features, parts that control pollution or power settings.
Farmers are joining a movement that is asking manufacturers to let customers and small repair shops fix their devices.
In 2022, Apple launched a program called “self-service repair” which lets iPhone customers replace their own batteries, screens and cameras.
The UK and European Union have rules to make sure that manufacturers have extra parts available for customers and repair companies.
Consumers have been saying for a long time that products break down more easily these days, and it is expensive and hard to get them fixed. Sometimes it is not even possible to fix them.
Vocabulary
- Consumer – customer; user; shopper
- Farmer – a person who owns, manages or works on a farm
- Allow – permit; let; to give permission; OK
- Authorize – to give permission; approve; someone says you can do it
- Part – one of the pieces that together form a machine or some type of equipment; component; (My bike has a broken part)
- Service center – a place where customers can go to get repairs or maintenance done on their products
- Sign – to write your name on a document to show that you agree with it or that you have written it yourself
- Agreement – an understanding, plan or contract made between two or more people/groups
- Resource – information or tools that can be used to help or support something else
- Intellectual property – the legal rights given to creators/designers for their own work such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights; unique information or creations that are protected by law
- Protected – kept safe or secure; guarded
- Pollution – damage caused to water, air, etc. by harmful substances or waste
- Setting – a position on the controls of a piece of equipment (low, medium, high);
- Movement – a group of people working together to achieve a common goal or to make a particular change
- Manufacturer – a company that makes or produces something
- Device – electronic equipment like watch, camera, phone, etc.
- Launch – start selling something; introduce a new product or service; to start using a new thing
- Program – a group of activities or things to be achieved; project; initiative
- Replace – to take the place of; to substitute; to come after; to fill in; swap; exchange
- The European Union (EU) – 27 countries in Europe that work closely together
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think consumers have been asking companies for the option to fix things like phones, computers, and machines at home?
- In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of allowing customers and small repair shops to fix their own devices?
- Would you try repairing your own devices or machines at home? Why or why not?
Original Story
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