America celebrated its 248th anniversary since the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress. They boldly took a stand for what they believed in and created an opportunity for their generation and generations to come. They knew full-well what the ramifications would be if they were captured in the subsequent war. Five men who signed were captured and tortured before their death and nine men died from wounds or hardships from the Revolutionary War. So many of these men were mercilessly hounded throughout the following years by adversaries that many signers had to live in hiding and lost their fortunes, dying broke of their possessions. Many more watched their families suffer horrible fates. When they signed, they knew what they were signing up for, and they did it anyway.
It was a leap of faith that, in fact, united our country. Together, they pledged, “For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
At the time, 2.5 million people made up 13 colonies and they pledged against the global powers that, on paper, should have destroyed them easily. With fate on their side fueled by heart and determination, they succeeded. Today, there’s 50 states, 14 territories and 330 million people that make up the largest global economy. Countless inventions including the light bulb, modern flight, and the internet are at the core where the American Dream is derived from—everyone has opportunity.
At the root sits the common passion of our WLJ family: agriculture. It was the very first effort by the first settlers. A combination of knowledge and skill assisted by the Native Americans, these settlers had to learn quickly how to raise crops and store food for the harsh winters. Agriculture was at the very core of survival, and it still is today. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, nine of these men were farmers.
American agriculture carries many symbols, but none as bright as the green tractors working fields across America. The John Deere company was born in 1837 with a self-scouring steel plow and grew into one of the nation’s largest agricultural companies. With production in the U.S. and Germany, they have maintained the American spirit and represented the core. In the last few months, they’ve made two blunders that have their loyal base scratching their heads.
In April, Deere launched a campaign to search for a chief tractor officer. This new position was specifically going to be a social media influencer “to help the iconic American brand celebrate farmers, contractors, groundskeepers, and brand fans.” This campaign blew up social media platforms, especially TikTok where content creators vied for the position. The result: they made all of social media angry with their process and selection. Offering a salary of $192,300 per year to tell Deere stories while the company announced layoffs of 120 employees in June and another 60 employees from their Urbandale, IA, facility in August.
Now, the company has announced they are moving production of several models to a factory in Mexico. This move will take another 600 employee positions away from facilities in Illinois and Iowa.
In their second quarter earnings call, a spokesperson said, “Industry sales are expected to further decline in the back half of FY 2024. To better position Deere to meet future demand, we continue to take proactive steps to reduce production and inventory.” This move is also on the heels of more than 1,000 workers that have already been laid off or given early retirement since 2023, according to multiple sources.
John Deere CEO John May reportedly hauled in $26.7 million last year while the company’s net income is reported at $10.166 billion in fiscal year 2023. With the recent moves, Deere stock has pulled back by around 10% over the last six months while breaking the trust of its loyal fans across North America as many claim the recent moves are more out of greed and not from market indications.
With the microscope now on the iconic brand and a failed attempt at headline deflections, Midwest towns across America are angry and unemployed.
Agriculture will be the root of a country’s ability to defend and thrive. Those who have food have control. America is in comparatively great shape, albeit we can metaphorically poke holes in several places in our armor. Deere has brought the microscope to them, and we’ll see what news they create moving forward. For now, I’m a proud American who will be grilling beef, going to parades, and lighting fireworks. To our readers, please stay safe, hug your loved ones, and God Bless America.
