WOODBURY — Many people in the agricultural field pride themselves on their ability to maintain and repair their own equipment. Not only do they enjoy the tasks of working on their engines and machines, but they also save money by doing the repairs.

But as companies continue to improve their machinery, many of them have included technology that requires repairs to be made only by authorized repair shops or dealers. Opponents of this trend say that it denies equipment owners their “right to repair,” while manufacturers insist that these pieces of technology are required to protect proprietary rights.

Nonnewaug agriscience teacher Andrew Zielinski and local mechanic Mike Tedesco weighed in on the debate.