Officials with John Deere announced Wednesday that it plans to end manufacturing at the Hagie factory in Clarion. The operations will cease by fiscal year 2029. The company will begin transitioning the production of the Hagie STS self-propelled sprayers out of the Clarion facility starting in fiscal year 2028, moving the line to a John Deere factory in Thibodaux, Louisiana. John Deere cited changes in regional customer demand and a desire to consolidate investments into modern, high-use facilities to improve operational efficiency. The Hagie factory typically employs around 300 people at normal production volumes. Clarion city officials noted that the Wednesday announcement was unexpected and will have heavily impact families and local businesses across north central Iowa. The John Deere Foundation has committed nearly $1 million over the next three years to support both the Clarion and Ottumwa facilities during the transition. The Ottumwa John Deere facility is expected to close within the next two years.