Claas of America announced today it has joined with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that provides farmers and ranchers confirmation of their right to repair their own equipment. Claas joins equipment makers Kubota, John Deere, CNH and AGCO in what is the fifth such MOU.

In a statement, Claas said that in addition to offering service thorough dealers, “they realize that customers also may need the ability to make repairs on their own terms. The company has supported this for years and offers an app for mobile devices under its Claas Connect portal that puts machine-specific owner manuals and technical resources directly in their customers’ hands.”

“Farmers and ranchers are more dependent on technology than ever before, and they asked us to find a private-sector solution to the right to repair issue,” says AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “This agreement is another step toward guaranteeing timely repairs for farmers regardless of the equipment they use.”

A separate press release from the AFBF said the 5 MOUs that have been signed cover approximately three quarters of the agricultural machinery sold in the United States.