John Deere commits $20 billion to expand U.S. operations

John Deere pledges to invest $20 billion in the United States over the next decade, Chairman and CEO John May said during the company’s second-quarter 2025 earnings call last week. The commitment includes expanding manufacturing, supporting workforce development, and upgrading facilities across more than a dozen states.

The statement comes as Deere has fielded heavy frustrations from the agricultural sector over moving several pieces of its operation to Mexico.

The company says that this planned initiative builds on existing efforts by the company to maintain and modernize its U.S. operations. Since 2019, John Deere has invested $2.5 billion in its American factories and reported an $80 billion spend with U.S. suppliers. The company also plans to put $100 million into its U.S. facilities in 2025 alone.

Planned projects include a 120,000-square-foot expansion of its remanufacturing facility in Missouri, a new excavator factory in Kernersville, North Carolina, and upgrades at its turf equipment plant in Greeneville, Tennessee. In Waterloo, Iowa, John Deere will add new assembly lines for its high-horsepower 9RX tractors.

Recent years have seen the company undergo restructuring and workforce reductions, as well as decisions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

In just the first week of 2025, nearly 200 employees were laid off at Deere facilities in Iowa, including 112 in Waterloo and 80 in Davenport. An additional 75 in Ottumwa are expected to be let go in February. These cuts followed 2,167 layoffs in 2024 across plants in Iowa and Illinois. Deere has attributed the reductions to “challenging market conditions” and lower demand from farmers. 

The company currently employs about 30,000 people in the U.S., with another 50,000 working at independent John Deere dealerships. Through its foundation, John Deere has committed $200 million to U.S. communities by 2031, including workforce and veteran support programs. Since launching its veterans hiring effort, the company has placed 450 former service members into roles.

John Deere operates 60 facilities across more than 16 states and estimates a $25 billion economic impact in its hometown communities. For more information, visit about.deere.com.