John Deere announces mass layoffs at 3 of its Midwest factories

John Deere is laying off hundreds of employees at three of its Midwest factories as a result of “market conditions,” the company recently announced.

A combined 310 production employees at two factories in Iowa — John Deere Davenport Works and John Deere Dubuque Works — will be laid off, as well as 280 employees at John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline, Illinois.

The affected employees have been informed and can remain at the factories until Aug. 30, the company said.

“These changes are being made due to reduced demand for the products produced at these facilities,” a spokesperson for John Deere said in a statement provided to Scripps News. “As stated in our second quarter earnings call, industry sales are expected to further decline in the back half of FY2024.”

The farm machinery company said it will continue to take steps to reduce production and inventory “to meet future demand.”

The laid-off workers will receive supplemental benefits and have seniority for other openings at the factories, according to John Deere.

John Deere is one of the most recognizable brands in the U.S., established in 1837 and headquartered in Moline, Illinois. The company employs over 82,000 workers with over $61 billion in net sales, according to its website .