“I found the article important because it raises the question - who actually owns farm machinery?,” Saunders said.

“Companies such as John Deere in the US are claiming that just because you pay for a machine, it does not mean you own it,” he said.

This is due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which covers the ramifications of circumventing software and hardware (including home repairs or modifications), even when there is no actual infringement of copyright itself.

“It makes it hard for everyday farmers to repair or modify modern machinery which has increasing amounts of software and codes in it and is only repairable by 'authorised' technicians.”

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