John Deere Waterloo Operations laying off additional production workers

WATERLOO, Iowa (KWWL) — John Deere will be laying off more than 300 employees in Waterloo, effective late September.

According to an email sent out to employees on Wednesday morning, stating in part, “Today, we are announcing that John Deere Waterloo Operations will lay off 345 production employees, effective September 20, 2024. This layoff is indefinite and affects production workers with the least seniority at Waterloo Operations.”

John Deere recently announced layoffs for Dubuque, Davenport and Moline, Illinois as well are previous Waterloo layoffs earlier in the year. In addition, 7 employees will be laid off in Coffeyville, Kansas on August 9.

The company states it is “working to balance the size of its manufacturing workforce with market demand for its products.”

John Deere says that they expect industry sales to decline 20% from 2023 to 2024. They attribute the layoffs to, “rising global operational and manufacturing costs, and reduced customer demand.”

Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart issued a statement to KWWL following the news.

Mayor Hart said:

“I didn’t know additional layoffs were coming until I was contacted by the media, so I immediately reached out to Deere officials for confirmation. I then contacted One Cedar Valley in conjunction with Iowa Works to inquire about the rapid recovery resources offered for displaced workers. Although John Deere is our major employer and supports this community in so many ways, another round of layoffs is devastating to our community. Then adding this round to the existing layoffs plus other layoffs across Iowa and Illinois, it is terrible news. My heart goes out to the workers, families, and businesses most directly impacted.”