Picking the right tools for the job: How Manitoba’s new right to repair legislation could work for farmers.
Legislation must recognize farmers’ realities—farm equipment is not a consumer good
Farmers face rising repair costs and are more reliant on authorized repairers to solve increasingly complex repair problems—we deserve a right to repair that recognizes this reality.
The right to repair means goods, owned or leased, are repairable at a reasonable price, within a reasonable time-frame by the owner or a repair service of the owner’s choice. For years, the NFU has been advocating for farmer-first right to repair legislation at both the Federal and Provincial levels.
Right to repair legislation is currently being presented in the Manitoba Legislature, and though the bill is Manitoba-specific, it carries significance for farmers across the country. Bill 15, The Consumer Protection Amendment Act proposes a right to repair for Manitobans. Bill 15 enables consumers to access effective repairs at a reasonable price and within a reasonable time-frame. The Bill also gives Manitobans access to information, like repair manuals and proper tools, either for free or at a reasonable price.
On April 22nd, 2026, the National Farmers Union in Manitoba was the lone farm organization representing farmers’ interests at the hearing on Bill 15. Consumer goods are the targets of Bill 15 – but what about farm machinery? We heard that the definition of “consumer good” could be left up to regulations, and may include farm machinery.
Currently, Manitoba has the Farm Machinery and Equipment Act (FMEA). The FMEA provides a 10-year guarantee on parts availability of replacement parts within 14 days of the farmers’ request, and delivery of emergency replacement parts within 72 hours, or a working alternative if those parts are not available.
“The NFU is concerned that defining agricultural machinery as a consumer good under regulation will undermine the current protections provided to farmers under the FMEA,” says Dean Harder, an NFU member who presented to the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs on April 22. “Care needs to be taken that one Act does not dismiss the other.”
Manitoban farmers deserve a right to repair that reduces costs and choice in repair services.
Farmers are often locked into getting repairs from authorized dealers which control when and how farmers access repair services and tools. Subsequently, the price for farm machinery repairs in Canada have increased. In 2024, Canadian farmers paid over $540 million in repair costs, a sizable expense for a low margin business. These costs have increased for several key reasons.
The first cause is the use of proprietary parts and repair tools that only authorized dealers can access. New digital features on farm equipment require proprietary diagnostic software to resolve error codes. Third-party or independent repairers are not given access or full functionality of diagnostic software to resolve software issues.
Second, agricultural machinery manufacturers engage in parts pairing. Parts pairing forces farmers to buy authorized parts and use authorized repair services by tying serial numbers of specific parts to a machine using software tracking. If a part is replaced and not linked back to the machine through an authorized software link, the machine loses its functionality or warranty.
Furthermore, Manitoba, like other provinces, has seen waves of dealership concentration and closures over the last two decades, increasing costs to farmers.
“The use of proprietary tools and parts, parts pairing, and dealership consolidation has effectively created a captured market for big ag machinery companies and their dealership networks,” says Harder.
An addition to Bill 15 should also be made to amend the FMEA that would bolster the right to repair for farmers. Changes to the FMEA should include an increase in the parts guarantees for farm machinery from 10 to 15 years and an explicit ban on parts pairing.
Amendments to the FMEA would give farmers and independent repair shops access to proper diagnostic software and that manufacturers can’t void warranty for seeking repairs from qualified third-party repairers. Bill 15 should be changed to put the onus on manufacturers, not suppliers, who are often small- or medium-sized businesses.
Finally, the term “reasonable” used in “repair at a reasonable price” and “in a reasonable time” must be defined in the Act. The definition of “reasonable” is important for protecting the accessibility of repair and must be favourable to repairers and users.
Legislation is the best place to guarantee robust and clear definitions, rights, and responsibilities. If the Manitoban government makes these changes to Bill 15, it will serve as a model for the other provinces to adopt to ensure a right to repair that works for farmers.
After lobbying for years on the right to repair, the NFU Manitoba leadership is encouraged to see Bill 15 come forward and potential improvements to FMEA discussed. Now’s the time to talk to our representatives to make sure they are serving the interests of farmers. Call the Manitoba Minister of Agriculture, Ron Kostyshyn, and the Manitoba Minister of Public Service Delivery, Mintu Sandhu, to tell them farmers need a right to repair!
If you’re a farmer who wants to get involved in NFU’s advocacy for Right to Repair, become a member today! And join the NFU’s Technology Sovereignty Working Group by filling out this form.
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For more information, please contact:
Dean Harder, NFU Member (Region 5): projuter@gmail.com
Kate Storey, NFU Member, NFU Regional Coordinator (Region 5): katemstorey@gmail.com
