The joint boards of the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA), the Midwest-South Eastern Equipment Dealers Association (MSEDA), the United Equipment Dealers Association (UEDA) and the Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA) voted to move forward with a proposal to merge the four associations. This move is the first step in consolidating, which requires a vote by dealer members of each association, which should be completed in spring 2022. Five Regional Associations comprising the Far West Equipment Dealers Association (FWEDA), Pioneer Equipment Dealers Association (PEDA), Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Association (DSEDA), Canada East Equipment Dealers Association (CEEDA) and Montana Equipment Dealers Association (MEDA) oppose the merger, citing it is not in the interests of the majority of equipment dealers.

“The Boards of Directors of half of the equipment dealers associations in North America believe this is a fundamentally flawed concept that will diminish the ability of EDA to carry out its primary mission, which is to address our industry’s National concerns,” the five associations wrote in a letter opposing the merger. “Simply put, EDA’s merged organization will be burdened with representing dealers at too many different levels. From a legislative and regulatory standpoint alone, the merger would require EDA to become an industry advocate to at least 28 different state and provincial governments … in addition to the U.S. and Canadian governments.”