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cruitment, retention, and training programs that will attract potential employees to the field and then keep them there with competitive salaries, benefits, and enjoyable workplaces. EDF (Equipment Dealers Foundation) funds have historically been used for disaster relief grants and scholarships for employees of equip- ment dealerships. The Foundation has awarded $286,000 in disaster relief grants since the pro- gram’s inception and $145,000 in scholarships since 2014.Workforce development is a natural continuation of the scholarship program and the EDF is excited to bring industry leaders together to work towards a solution. Other than its board meetings, EDA does not have its own trade show.However, it is actively involved in attending dealer meetings, industry summits, and farm and trade shows throughout the year. In 2016 it attended Farm Progress, GIE+- Expo, Cub Cadet Dealer Meeting,Mahindra Dealer Meeting,Ariens Dealer Meeting, SOREL, PNWER, and regional equipment association annual meet- ings just to name a few. It also schedules meet- ings with several manufactures throughout the year to fulfill its goal of providing manufacturer relations. EDA also partners with the Associated Equip- ment Distributors in hosting an annual legislative Fly-In. The 2017 Fly-In was held in April,with over 80 construction and agriculture equipment THE EQUIPMENT DEALERS ASSOCIATION dealers in D.C. for educational sessions, panels, and meetings with legislators. The 2018 Fly-In dates should be announced this fall. In conjunc- tion with other visits to lobby in D.C. and Ottawa, the Fly-In helps with EDA’s Government Relations mission of creating a positive legislative environ- ment for equipment dealers. One initiative the Association has been partic- ularly involved in over the last year and a half is “Right to Repair.” EDA recognizes that the Right to Repair legislation is an issue that could have significant impact on dealers across the United States and Canada.The EDA supports legislation which protects consumers and opposes legis- lation which allows the widespread release of proprietary equipment repair information to un- qualified persons or entities which are not subject to uniform standards including training, safety, engineering and environmental. Such legislation could facilitate conduct which would put equipment operators and third parties at risk and put dealerships who invest in training, safety and liability coverage at an unfair disadvan- tage. EDA continues to track Right to Repair legisla- tion and do its best to prevent this and any leg- islation from undermining the integrity of the equipment industry.