MOLINE, Ill. — The cuts keep coming to the rank and file production workforce at John Deere and Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of farming machinery. Most recently, the company announced it would slash another 345 production line jobs from the payroll of its Waterloo, Iowa, production plant. 

“These changes are being made due to reduced demand for the products produced at these facilities,” according to a Deere spokesperson, who added that the company is offering unemployment pay, transitional assistance and other benefits to laid-off workers.

Around 5,000 workers are employed by the Deere Waterloo plant, where Series 7,8 and 9 tractors are manufactured. The decision to terminate the 345 workers will become official on September 20. 

The cuts from Deere’s Waterloo facility came on the heels of pushback from city leaders in Dubuque, Iowa, who are upset over the company’s plans to shift some production from there to an unbuilt facility in Ramos, Mexico, in 2026. Mid-frame skid steer loader and compact track loader production will be relocated from John Deere Dubuque Works to the Mexico plant under the announced plan.

“The exact number of employees impacted by the moves will depend on overall Dubuque Works productions levels when mid-frame skid steer loader and compact track loader production ends, attrition over the next two years and reassignment opportunities for employees,” according to a Deere statement. 

Rick Dickinson, president and CEO of Greater Dubuque Development Corp., told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald that he remains hopeful that enough retirements and increases in production on other product lines will occur at John Deere Dubuque Works over the next two years that anyone impacted by the departure of the two production lines will be able to be relocated to other positions within the company.

“The number of retirements right now are significant on an annual basis,” he said. “I hope that a number of the people, if not all, will have the opportunity to stay in Dubuque at other product lines.”

John Deere is Dubuque County’s largest employer, with about 2,700 employees at the Dubuque facility, according to the Telegraph Herald.

In other company news, Deere announced it would dial back some of its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, becoming one of the latest agricultural companies to distance themselves from the larger DEI movement following a wave of conservative criticism. This is according to AgricultureDive.com, which reported that the farm equipment giant said it will no longer participate in “social or cultural awareness” events. In addition, Deere will also audit training materials and policies to ensure there are no “socially motivated messages.” 

The company also reaffirmed that “diversity quotas and pronoun identification” are not part of company policy. The decision comes weeks after rural retailer Tractor Supply ended its corporate diversity and climate efforts. In response, the National Black Farmers Association called for a boycott of Deere and Tractor Supply, while calling for their CEOs to step down.

Overall, Illinois-based Deere employs a workforce of about 30,000 people across 40 sites in more than a dozen states. Deere is expecting industry sales to fall by as much as 20 percent worldwide compared to 2023, the company’s 2024 second quarter earnings report projected.