FARMER representative group, GrainGrowers, is calling for better protections for growers who purchase new farm equipment and machinery.

In a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) ‘Agricultural Machinery: After sales markets discussion paper’, GrainGrowers makes five key recommendations.

The recommendations are:

• Increase the monetary threshold that cover purchases;
• Changes to warranty provisions that reflect product value and patterns of use;
• Recognition that multiple minor failures constitute a major failure;
• Mandatory oral and written disclosure of product warranties at the time of purchase;
• An independent body to evaluate issues with agriculture machinery to drive product improvement and enhance farmer protections.

GrainGrowers chairman Brett Hosking said growers needed to be reassured significant purchases were backed by warranty and support.

“Growers rely on working machinery to get the crop sown and harvested and should not be held back by a new piece of machinery,” Mr Hosking said.

“Delays at sowing or harvesting time is lost revenue to our growers who are already working in extremely competitive global conditions.”

One of the many examples that GrainGrowers heard recently was a grower purchased a self-propelled boomspray.

Shortly after purchase, he encountered electronic issues with the machine that are still to be resolved.

The issues were covered under dealer warranty; however, the claims process was challenging and manufacturer response not sufficient.

Source: GrainGrowers

Read the submission here.