John Deere, the world’s largest agricultural machinery manufacturer, is downsizing. On January 3, 2025, the company will lay off nearly 300 employees from its facilities in Iowa and Illinois due to a decrease in demand for farming equipment.
The layoffs will affect three locations: John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline, Illinois (200 employees), John Deere Davenport Works in Davenport, Iowa (80 production workers), and John Deere Seeding and Cylinder Operations in Moline, Illinois (7 employees).
John Deere, which is required by law to report large layoffs, has faced a sharp decline in commodity prices. Corn prices have dropped 37% since 2022, with soybeans falling by 24% and wheat by 35%. This economic shift has impacted sales, causing ripple effects that hit American workers the hardest.
The company has already laid off more than 2,600 employees in recent years, and that number is set to rise with these additional cuts.
As the economic challenges in the farming industry continue, more workers are feeling the strain, with many struggling to support their families amid shrinking job opportunities.