By: NATHAN STUEDLE
John Deere plans to close two Iowa manufacturing facilities and relocate production to other locations over the next several years. The company will move windrower and round baler production from Ottumwa to Des Moines, while Hagie sprayer manufacturing will shift from Clarion, Iowa, to Thibodaux, Louisiana. Approximately 300 employees could be affected under normal production conditions, although Deere says actual workforce impacts will depend on future business activity.
Ottumwa officials estimate the closure could eventually eliminate approximately 400 jobs and more than thirty million dollars in annual payroll. The Ottumwa facility has operated for 115 years and is expected to close by fiscal year 2029. The Clarion facility faces a similar timeline. The announcement comes amid declining agricultural equipment sales and weaker company profits. Despite the closures, Deere says it remains committed to investing twenty billion dollars in American manufacturing over the next decade.