by Matthew J. Grassi, AgWeb.com
Farm Journal has learned via public records from the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) that nearly 60 salaried Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG) employees based out of the Urbandale, Iowa, office will be laid off in the first week of August. John Deere reported the initial number of ISG layoffs at 58 employees.
John Deere ISG leads the design and manufacture of custom, integrated electronic solutions for Original Equipment Manufacturers. The division was created in 1987 and was based in Fargo, North Dakota, before moving to Urbandale.
Additionally, John Deere has confirmed with News 8 WQAD in Moline that over 120 production workers in Moline will be placed on indefinite layoff effective June 28.
One of John Deere’s chief rivals in farm equipment manufacturing, CNH Industrial, is itself the subject of rumors the company intends to lay off 25% of it’s workforce based in Racine County, Wisconsin. Its flagship farm equipment brand, Case IH, was founded in 1842 in Racine.
Unconfirmed sources on the Reddit community r/johndeere are reporting a global all ISG employee meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 7 at 9:30 central. The purpose of that call has not been confirmed.
Iowa’s WARN Act requires employers with 100 or more employees to give 60 calendar day written notice when there is a plant closing or mass layoff. The filing shows a notification date of June 6, 2024, meaning the affected ISG employees due to be notified on June 6 will no longer have a position effective August 7, 2024.
This is on top of recent reporting by AgDay TV Host Clinton Griffiths that the equipment manufacturer has offered 103 early retirement buyouts and eliminated 650 total jobs across its Iowa operations as of June 1. John Deere has also announced its intention to move its production of mid-frame skid steer loaders and compact loaders from its plant in Dubuque, Iowa, to a proposed new production facility in Mexico.
AgDay TV also notes that a total of 773 layoffs have been reported to the state of Iowa in 2024. John Deere employs a global workforce of 70,000 people.
WHAT’S GOING ON AT DEERE?
Looking back over the last six months, John Deere has undeniably had a busy first half of 2024.
In February, the equipment manufacturer launched its 2025 model class of tractors, combines and sprayers at the annual Commodity Classic convention in Houston.
The company also focused on marketing its precision ag technology retrofit strategy, Precision Upgrades, to capture additional revenue by helping farmers retrofit precision ag technologies to older machines already on the farm.
John Deere also struck a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink global low Earth orbit satellite connectivity network to provide corrections and data telematics services to customers in South America in 2024 and North America in 2025. In addition, the company signed 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to an endorsement deal, although the financial details of that arrangement have yet to surface. Farm Journal has reached out to John Deere reps for a status update on the search for its newly-created Chief Tractor Officer post, to which the company has yet to respond.
John Deere has projected a 20% to 25% downturn in farm equipment sales as farmers grapple with low commodity prices, high operating expenses and high interest rates for financing large capital investments. Sky rocketing labor costs and inflation are also having downward effects on net farm income.
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