John Deere to Lay Off Nearly 200 More Workers Across Iowa in January

John Deere is continuing its downsizing efforts, with nearly 200 more employees set to lose their jobs across two of its Iowa manufacturing plants in January 2025. The company announced that it will lay off 112 workers at its Waterloo Works facility on January 5, 2025, and 80 workers at its Davenport Works facility on January 3, 2025. Those cuts are now verified on Iowa's WARN system. This move marks another round of job cuts as the company continues to adjust to challenging market conditions.

The latest layoffs bring the total number of John Deere employees laid off in Iowa to well over 2,000 in the last year. The company has already eliminated more than 1,500 positions in the state. These cuts have primarily impacted workers at the company's Waterloo and Davenport plants, which are major hubs for manufacturing agricultural equipment. Earlier in the year, 1,473 manufacturing positions were eliminated in Waterloo, and more than 500 additional jobs were cut across the Quad Cities and in locations like Dubuque and Moline. The layoffs come as the company struggles with lower demand for farm machinery due to declining agricultural revenues and market uncertainty.

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John Deere has cited a 20% drop in sales between 2023 and 2024 as a key factor in the layoffs. The company has also faced rising operational costs and reduced customer demand, which has led to its decision to make workforce reductions in order to stay competitive globally.

While the company has previously offered severance pay, job placement services, and financial compensation to impacted employees, it remains unclear if these benefits will be extended to those affected by the January 2025 layoffs. With these ongoing adjustments, John Deere continues to navigate through a tough period in the agricultural manufacturing sector with thoughts on moving additional production to their Mexico locations.