John Deere: Continued Reduction in Workforce After Tariffs and Low Demand

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Layoff scale: 238

The 238 indefinitely laid off across three facilities, are in addition to ~1,500 laid off in 2024

Expected Cause

→ Tariffs
→ Low demand
→ High machinery prices

Layoff begins: August 2025

News reporting: John Deere Announces Hundreds of Layoffs

The 238 workers laid off in the summer 2025 are on top of 1,500 John Deere job cuts in 2024, which together amounts to a more than a 5% cut to John Deere’s approximately 30,000 US workers. To explain the layoffs, John Deere executives have pointed to tariffs, primarily on steel but also on aluminum, as well as declining demand for farm equipment, which has been significantly increasing in price over the last decade, with some models more than doubling in price.

John Deere 8345R tractor (photo credit)

More Details

  • Harvester Works (East Moline, IL): 115 indefinitely laid off
  • Seeding and Cylinder (Moline, IL): 52 indefinitely laid off
  • Foundry (Waterloo, IA): 71 indefinitely laid off
  • In 2025, tariffs have resulted in a $600 million cost to John Deere
  • According to University of Illinois Extension, the list price for new tractors increased by 60 percent over the last eight years.
  • Since 2015, more than 4,500 jobs have been cut across all John Deere facilities. 
  • Harvester Works: Large combine harvesters and other major harvesting machinery
  • Seeding and Cylinder: Seed drills, planters, and other planting-machinery, as well as hydraulic cylinders
  • Foundry: Metal castings for various machines parts used in tractors, combines, planters, and other heavy-duty machinery
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