The 2026 North American Equipment Dealers Assn. (NAEDA) Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey results are in and once again, it shows what dealers value most in their manufacturing partners and expectations. It also highlights who is performing best and who is moving up in the ranks, as well as those who are falling behind. 

Dealers and manufacturers alike anticipate the annual survey results each summer. Over the years the report has been taken quite seriously by some manufacturers — whether their results were positive or negative. For those who do well, the results are often promoted to prospective dealers and customers. For those who don’t fare so well, concerted efforts and changes in practice are often put in place with the goal of improving their results in the years ahead.

Dealers, meanwhile, have used it as a point of reference on prospective lines or in rationalization decisions that follow mergers and acquisitions, and the occasional discussion during dealer advisory board meetings. While NAEDA does not break out results by segment (tillage, planting, etc.), dealers can examine the manufacturers in those categories when comparing suppliers. This year, we’ve broken out the results into these product categories for easy reference. 

In terms of the importance of each category to the dealers, the top 5 — Product Quality, Parts Availability, Parts Quality, Manufacturer Response to Dealer Needs/Concerns and Product Technical Support — remained the same since the 2025 report.

Bourgault once again took home the Dealer’s Choice Award in 2026 for the shortlines and had the highest average mean score (5.99) among the shortliners.

Dealers can rate up to 7 manufacturers they carry and rank them based on their experience in 11 categories, including: product quality, availability and technical support, parts availability, quality and return policy, communication, warranty and marketing/advertising support with a separate rating for overall satisfaction. 

Respondents rate manufacturers on a scale from 1-7, with 1 being “extremely dissatisfied” and 7 being “extremely satisfied.” While the survey results accurately assess dealer attitudes regarding the lines they represent, the ratings represent dealer satisfaction captured in a singular moment. The results could change quickly due to external factors or situations.

Company-by-Company Results

Bourgault once again dominated the results, with highest scores in 10 categories, including Avg. Mean (5.99), overall satisfaction (6.18) , product availability (6.18), parts quality (6.), and the communications with management category (6.18). While Bourgault outperformed the other shortlines, its scores were down across the board slightly from 2025. Compared to the other seeding/planting manufacturers, Bourgault carried the highest score in all 12 categories as well as average mean score. 

Land Pride had the second highest average mean score (5.68) followed by Landoll (5.64), Unverferth (5.61) and Degelman (5.59). 

On the other side of the equation, while a perennial “loser” in this survey, Gehl’s score improved over 2025 across all categories, including up 48% in Product Availability and Communication w/ Management and up 53% in Manufacturer Response to Dealer Needs/Concerns. It had the largest improvement of all shortlines in its average mean score, up 28.15% over 2025. Its average mean 3-year change is +15.61%.

Source: North American Equipment Dealers Assn.’s 2026 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey; Ag Equipment Intelligence

Landoll showed improvement in 9 categories and was flat in one. In the categories it was down, it was down just slightly. Landoll’s best result was Product Quality (5.86) followed by Parts Quality (5.85). Its average mean score was 5.64, which was the highest among all the primarily tillage companies. In addition, Landoll had the highest avg. mean score among the other companies whose primary products are tillage equipment (a tight product category with only 0.29 points separating the top achiever from the bottom of the group). Landoll had the highest scores in the tillage group in 3 categories - Overall Satisfaction (5.82), Parts Availability (5.8) and Warranty Payments (5.51).

The harvest product category was among the tightest, with each of the 3 companies taking top scores in at least 1 category. However, Unverferth ultimately came out on top with the highest average mean score of 5.61, just pushing past Elmers with a 5.59 and MacDon with a 5.56. Unverferth carried the top score for 5 of the 12 categories, including Product Technical Support (5.77), Return Privileges (5.38), Communication with Management (5.57), Warranty Procedures (5.48), and Warranty Payments (5.48). 

2026 NAEDA Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Report

The 2026 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Report is available to all NAEDA dealer members and to participating manufacturers. For information, contact Amy Mullady, amullady@naeda.com.

Meyer Mfg. dominated the Livestock/Manure product segment, securing not only the top avg. mean score (5.43), but also the highest score in all of the 12 categories. Its highest score came in Parts Quality (5.71). While Meyer’s scores were down year-over-year across all categories, the same was true for the other 2 companies in the segment (Art’s Way and Highline). Compared to all shortlines, Meyer Mfg., Meyer was in the top half (#9) in terms of avg. mean score. 

Land Pride topped the mowing/cutting product category, leading the group with the top average mean score (5.68) and securing the top score in all 12 of the categories — ahead of Woods, Bush Hog and Rhino. While the company saw its scores fall year-over-year in most categories, it did see a slight improvement in Product Availability, a category that was a challenge for a number of companies in 2026, including the other 3 companies in the product category. Among all the shortlines, Land Pride had the second highest average mean score (5.68) behind Bourgault (5.99). 

3-Year Trends

Across the past 3 years (2024-2026), Bourgault has been the clear leader, staying near 6.0 and rebounding strongly in 2025. Bourgault had the highest 3-year average mean score of any shortline manufacturer at (6.06). In 2026 Bourgault excelled in overall satisfaction, product availability, parts quality and the communications with management category. 

Meyer Mfg had a (5.75) 3-year average mean score, peaking in 2025, easing in 2026 but also remained strong. Most recently Meyer Mfg excelled in product quality, and parts quality categories according to the 2026 data.

At the opposite end of the results was Gehl. The 2024-2026 data showed Gehl had the lowest 3-year average mean scores of any shortline manufacturer at (3.49). The 2026 data showed Gehl received their lowest score in the manufacturer response to dealer needs/concerns category (3.36). 

Source: North American Equipment Dealers Assn.’s 2026 Dealer–Manufacturer Relations Survey; Ag Equipment Intelligence

Ag Equipment Intelligence’s historical data tables also shed light on those manufacturers “on the rise.” Gehl was the only shortline manufacturer to improve in every category vs. 2025. Several companies, however, saw their scores decline compared to last year, including: Bourgault, Bush Hog, Great Plains, H&S Mfg. Highline Mfg., Meyer Mfg. and Vermeer. 

The following manufacturers’ performance in each of the categories studied, in order of what is important to dealers. The numerical scores are based on a scale of 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 7 (extremely satisfied), while the trending data is expressed in percentage change.

1. Product Availability

• Highest: Bourgault (6.18), Elmers Mfg (6.09), MacDon (5.78)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+48.44%), MacDon (+9.06%), Landoll (+3.76%)
• Lowest: Gehl (3.8), Rhino (4), Bush Hog (4.13)
• Trending Down: Bush Hog (-23.38%), Rhino (-20.00%), Bobcat (-14.66%)

2. Product Quality

• Highest: Elmers Mfg (6.18) Bourgault (6.14), Degelman (6.14)
• Trending Up: Elmers Mfg (+6.37%), Gehl (+6.29%), Bobcat (+4.16%)
• Lowest: Art’s Way (4.86), Gehl (4.9), Bobcat (5.01)
• Trending Down: H&S Mfg (-9.21%), Highline Mfg (-8.01%), Krone (-6.86%)

3. Product Technical Support

• Highest: Bourgault (6.14), Degelman (5.81), Landoll (5.8)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+25.08%), Salford Group (+2.50%), Degelman (+2.11%)
• Lowest: Gehl (3.84), Bobcat (4.42), Art’s Way (4.71)
• Trending Down: Meyer Mfg (-10.52%), Rhino (-9.53%), H&S Mfg (-8.05%)

4. Parts Availability

• Highest: Bourgault (5.82), Land Pride (5.82), Elmers Mfg (5.82)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+27.38%), Krone (+3.23%), Landoll (+2.47%)
• Lowest: Gehl (4.14), Bobcat (4.32), H&S Mfg (4.54)
• Trending Down: H&S Mfg (-17.15%), Bobcat (-11.66%), Bush Hog (-11.59%)

5. Parts Quality

• Highest: Bourgault (6.18), Elmers Mfg (6.09), Krone (6.0)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+8.62%), Elmers Mfg (+6.10%), Krone (+2.39%)
• Lowest: Art’s Way (4.92), Gehl (5.04), H&S Mfg (5.05)
• Trending Down: H&S Mfg (-9.50%), Meyer Mfg (-6.70%), Vermeer (-5.62%)

6. Return Privileges

• Highest: Bourgault (5.59), Landoll (5.46), Land Pride (5.4)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+22.29%), Salford Group (+4.67%), Bobcat (+4.58%)
• Lowest: Gehl (4.06), H&S Mfg (4.38), Art’s Way (4.42)
• Trending Down: Highline Mfg (-13.04%), Meyer Mfg (-10.44%), H&S Mfg (-9.88%)

7. Communication with Management

• Highest: Bourgault (6.18), Land Pride (5.66), Landoll (5.62)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+48.28%), Salford Group (+4.96%), Landoll (+4.66%)
• Lowest: Gehl (3.44), Bobcat (4.19), Rhino (4.36)
• Trending Down: Highline Mfg (-16.22%), Meyer Mfg (-12.33%), Bush Hog (-8.91%)

8. Warranty Procedures

• Highest: Bourgault (5.64), Land Pride (5.54), Landoll (5.51)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+27.39%), Bobcat (+5.75%), MacDon (+1.30%)
• Lowest: Gehl (3.86), Bobcat (3.86), H&S Mfg (4.55)
• Trending Down: Highline Mfg (-12.02%), Meyer Mfg (-11.89%), Vermeer (-8.87%)

9. Warranty Payments

• Highest: Bourgault (5.55), Land Pride (5.55), Landoll (5.51)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+41.02%), Bobcat (+9.81%), Kinze (+2.12%)
• Lowest: Bobcat (4.14), Gehl (4.16), Art’s Way (4.63)
• Trending Down: Highline Mfg (-12.48%), Meyer Mfg (-12.41%), Vermeer (-7.77%)

10. Marketing & Advertising Support

• Highest: Bourgault (6.05), Vermeer (5.52), Elmers Mfg (5.45)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+27.33%), Salford Group (+6.11%), Bobcat (+4.19%)
• Lowest: Gehl (3.82), Art’s Way (4.54), Woods (4.65)
• Trending Down: Highline Mfg (-15.06%), Meyer Mfg (-12.29%), Bush Hog (-4.82%)

11. Manufacturing Response to Dealer Needs/Concerns

• Highest: Bourgault (6.09), Landoll (5.66), Land Pride (5.58)
• Trending Up: Gehl (+53.42%), Salford Group (+7.63%), Bobcat (+5.23%)
• Lowest: Gehl (3.36), Bobcat (3.82), Rhino (4.4)
• Trending Down: Highline Mfg (-15.33%), Meyer Mfg (-11.22%), Bush Hog (-8.81%)

Additional Analysis 

Ag Equipment Intelligence provided additional analyses this year to simplify the results. As such, it consolidated the 12 individual categories into 3 broader areas: product/parts availability; product/parts quality; and administrative programs/protocols.

The results of that aggregation of the shortline manufacturers into those 3 categories, and the change year-over-year is shown in Table 2. Bourgault claimed the top scores in all 3 categories, followed by Unverferth in product & parts availability, Elmergs Mfg. in product & parts quality and Land Pride in administrations programs & protocols. 

Gehl was once again the bottom-dweller in 2 of the 3 categories, with Art’s Way coming in last in product & parts quality. Table 1 also shows the year-over-year change in performance of the shortliners in those broad areas. This highlights the success Gehl has had over last year, showing the top improvement among the shortlines in all 3 categories.