The Equipment Dealers Association announces the recipients of the Dealer’s Choice Award:

-Full-Line Manufacturer: John Deere
-Tractor Manufacturer: LS Tractor
-Shortline Manufacturer: Vermeer
-Outdoor Power Equipment Manufacturer: Grasshopper

The manufacturers received the highest ratings in 12 key categories covering operations and support in the recently completed 2016 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey Report.

Since the award’s inception in 2013, Vermeer has achieved the top rating in the Shortline Manufacturer category all four years. John Deere, LS Tractor and Grasshopper topped their respective category for the second consecutive year.

John Deere earned the Dealer's Choice Award for full-line manufacturer in the latest Equipment Dealers Association survey. (Photo: Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock)

EDA also bestows Gold Level recognition to the manufacturers that receive exceptional overall ratings. The 2016 Gold Level recipients are:

-Tractor Manufacturers: Branson Tractor, Kioti Tractor and Kubota

-Shortline Manufacturers: Bourgault Industries, Claas, Degelman, Great Plains, H&S Manufacturing, Kuhn NA, Land Pride, Landoll, MacDon Industries, Meyer Manufacturing, Unverferth Manufacturing and Woods

-Outdoor Power Equipment Manufacturers: Ariens, ECHO, Exmark, Ferris, Gravely, Hustler, Scag, Shindaiwa, STIHL, Toro, Walker and Wright Manufacturing

The total number of Gold Level recipients increased significantly from 16 in 2015 to 27 this year. Overall, average ratings improved and were more clustered as compared to last year. For the second year in a row, Dixie Chopper receives the Most Improved Award for achieving the greatest percentage increase in overall ratings from 2015 among all manufacturers.

Source: Equipment Dealers Association