After just announcing they were going to bring back their workforce, John Deere has announced plans to shut down two of its Iowa manufacturing plants over the next several years as part of a broader production shift.
Operations for round balers and windrowers will move from Ottumwa to Des Moines, while Hagie sprayer production in Clarion will relocate to Louisiana.
While current lower production levels mean immediate cuts are smaller, officials estimate the closure of the historic 115-year-old Ottumwa plant could ultimately eliminate roughly 400 jobs and strip over $30 million from the local payroll…