New Lemon Law Protects Farmers

Staff Reports

Florida farmers will soon have new protections when purchasing expensive agricultural machinery under a new law signed by the governor last week.

Senate Bill 386, sponsored by Senator Jay Trumbull, creates what many are calling a “lemon law” for farm equipment. The new law establishes a clear process for consumers and manufacturers to address defective farm equipment that fails during the warranty period or shortly after purchase, even if the problem is not covered under an express written warranty.

Under the law, “farm equipment” is defined as power-drawn, power-driven, or self-propelled equipment used on a farm or used to transport farm products.

     The law allows a consumer to report a defect to the manufacturer or its authorized service agent during the manufacturer’s warranty period or within one year after the original delivery date of the equipment — whichever comes later. Once the defect is reported, the manufacturer or authorized service agent must repair the equipment at no cost to the consumer to bring it into compliance with the applicable warranty.

     If the manufacturer or dealer cannot fix the equipment after a reasonable number of repair attempts, the law requires the manufacturer to either replace the equipment with comparable farm equipment or accept the return of the defective equipment and refund the full purchase price. The refund would include all applicable taxes and fees paid by the consumer.

     The measure is designed to protect farmers from being stuck with costly equipment that does not work properly, while still giving manufacturers a fair opportunity to repair the machinery. Because modern farm equipment can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and is essential during planting and harvest seasons, long repair delays or repeated breakdowns can cause serious financial harm to agricultural operations.

     The new law creates protections similar to the state’s automobile lemon law, but specifically tailored to agricultural equipment — something many in the agriculture industry say has been needed for years.

     This new law will take effect July 1, 2026.