MSN.com reports, in error, “Deere freezes U.S. manufacturing”
When journalists make mistakes, the good ones post public “correction” notices. The bad ones delete the stories and hope people forget. MSN.com last week posted a since-deleted “news” report saying that John Deere had frozen all U.S. manufacturing; we were unable to find a correction notice. OPE+ was surprised to see the story, especially since we reported on May 19 about Deere’s announcement to invest $20B in U.S. manufacturing over the next 10 years.
The incorrect MSN.com story was picked up and shared by several outlets. Some questionable YouTube accounts, including Garage Heads and Piston Pundit for starters, ran with long accounts of Deere “stopping U.S. production.” Those misleading narratives are still live.
Deere’s side of the story
Deere recently set up a webpage to tell its own side of the story. It says in part, “We’re making a bold move by investing $20 billion into U.S. manufacturing over the next 10 years. That’s a powerful signal of our long-term commitment to building and growing right here at home.
“Our commitment to delivering value for our customers includes ongoing investment in advanced products, solutions, and manufacturing capabilities,” said John May, chairman and CEO of John Deere.
“Over the next decade, we will continue to make significant investments in our core U.S. market. This underscores our dedication to innovation and growth while staying cost-competitive in a global market.”
