On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, Congressman Eric Sorensen released the following statement on the news of an additional round of layoffs at Deere & Company.
“Every day, I’m proud to be a Quad Citian and call this place my home. We have a special way of life here; we take pride in what we do and how we do it. Deere & Company is part of the fabric of the Quad Cities. The UAW workers who build the Seeders and Harvesters that are used around the world, help our community thrive and grow,” said Sorensen.
“Today is a hard day for our Quad Cities community. I pledge to do everything that I’m able to [do], to support the workers affected by these layoffs. Our Congressional Office has the resources to connect affected workers with services and benefits.
“We will work hand-in-hand with our partners in the Governor’s Office and UAW, to make sure that we do everything we can to support workers.
“Representing our district on the House Agriculture Committee has always been important….It is clear from today’s decision that now, more than ever, we need to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill. Critical programs that impact the price of corn and soy are running out of money and need to be replenished and updated. This affects Deere & Company’s production and impacts workers, as much as our family farmers. We must get a bipartisan Farm Bill passed, which will open up opportunities for Deere.
“Deere & Company’s annual profits exceed $7 billion. Today’s stock price exceeded $410 per share. C-suite salaries are in the tens-of-millions of dollars. They can afford to better take care of their workers in John Deere’s hometown.”