This past year, the Equipment Dealers Assn. was busy working on your behalf to enhance the dealer-manufacturer relationship and create a mutually beneficial business environment. Some of the highlights of their efforts include:

OEM Meetings

EDA and its Industry Relations Task Force (IRTF) met with key personnel from AGCO, John Deere, Kubota and New Holland to discuss issues of mutual interest, including the used equipment market, dealer agreements, incentive programs, financing, market share, parts availability, warranty policies and more. Meeting notes summarizing each of the separate discussions were distributed to EDA dealer members who represent any of the four product lines. If you would like a copy of the meeting notes for a line you carry, please contact the EDA office at 636-349-5000 or Info@EquipmentDealer.org.

In addition to the four EDA-IRTF meetings discussed above, EDA staff visited with several other manufacturers throughout 2016, including Echo, Exmark, Ferris, Grasshopper, LS Tractor, Scag, Shindaiwa, Toro, Vermeer and Walker. EDA staff also participated in dealer meetings with Ariens, Cub Cadet, Gravely and Mahindra.

In October, EDA co-hosted a joint legislative meeting with the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers, which included representatives from AGCO, Caterpillar, CNH Industrial, John Deere and Kubota to discuss state and federal legislative issues of significance within the U.S. and Canada. Several regional association executives were also in attendance.

Regular meetings with manufacturers help to position EDA as the unified voice of the equipment dealer at the national level in the U.S. and Canada and enhances its effectiveness in addressing industry issues on behalf of dealers.

Contract Reviews

This past year was a busy one for dealer agreements as EDA staff and its outside counsel, Seigfreid Bingham, completed reviews of new agreements for Case Construction, Case IH, New Holland and Versatile. Memorandums summarizing key issues from the legal reviews were distributed to EDA dealer members who represent any of the four product lines. In addition, dealer members were invited to participate on conference calls/webinars to discuss each of the agreements and ask questions. If you would like a copy of a summary memorandum for a line you carry, please contact the EDA office at 636.349.5000 or Info@EquipmentDealer.org.

In addition to the four agreements discussed above, legal reviews of new agreements for Cub Cadet and Toro are currently underway. Once the reviews are completed, a similar process for distributing the information via memorandums and webinars will be followed.

Industry Relations Fund

EDA maintains an Industry Relations Fund (IRF) to assist in financing matters that have wide implications within the equipment industry, e.g., contract language, rules and/or policies. This past year, EDA dealer members voluntarily contributed more than $20,000 to the IRF.

Manufacturer Relations Committee

EDA’s Manufacturer Relations Committee met periodically throughout 2016 to address issues that affect equipment dealers. In 2017, the committee is looking to add additional dealers who represent any of the following product lines: Case IH, Kubota or New Holland. If you would like to serve on the committee, contact the EDA office at 636-349-5000 or Info@EquipmentDealer.org.