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WATCH: John Deere’s $600M tariff crisis vs. the 1986 Farm Crisis strike (PT 3) – Cornhole Champions #37

By Iowa Production Staff

August 27, 2025

Thirty-nine years ago, UAW workers began the longest strike in John Deere history—163 days fighting for job security during the 1980s farm crisis. Today, John Deere announced 238 more layoffs across Iowa and Illinois, blaming $600 million in annual tariff costs. From the 1986 lockout to 2025’s trade war casualties, Iowa workers keep paying the price for decisions made in distant boardrooms and Washington.

On this segment of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker connect past and present labor struggles.

Toss some bags at declining school enrollment… the coming loss of a historical archive in Iowa City… And how the 1986 Deere strike connects to today’s tariff layoffs…

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00:30 – August 23, 1986: The Day 4,300 Workers Walked Off the Job
01:00 – “Emasculate Our Cost of Living”: What UAW Workers Really Fought For
01:30 – 1980s Farm Crisis: When Manufacturing Jobs Fell 30% in Quad Cities
02:30 – 2025 Reality: $600 Million in Tariffs, 238 More Layoffs
04:00 – Farmers Feeding Wheat to Cattle: When Harvesting Isn’t Worth It
04:30 – How China Switched from Iowa Soybeans to Brazilian Suppliers
06:00 – Waterloo’s Five John Deere Plants: Thousands of Jobs at Risk
08:00 – The Through Line: Erosion of Public Life in Iowa Communities

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CATEGORIES: POLITICS VIDEO
POLITICS VIDEO
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WATCH: The real cost of “no tax on tips” (PT 1) – Cornhole Champions #36

WATCH: The real cost of “no tax on tips” (PT 1) – Cornhole Champions #36

The “one big, beautiful bill” promises to help working Americans – but does it deliver? While Republicans celebrate no tax on tips with flashy Instagram ads, the reality for service workers is far more complicated.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith and Amy Rivers break down the actual impact of the no tax on tips policy.

Toss some bags at “no” tax on tips… merit pay for teachers… a Sioux City special election next week… and a new candidate taking on US Rep. Ashley Hinson.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:30 – Republicans’ “Bump It” Style Tax Ad
02:30 – No Tax on Tips: The $25,000 Limit Nobody Mentions
04:30 – Why Service Workers Still Pay Payroll Taxes
06:00 – GOP Rep’s Embarrassing 10% Tip Goes Viral
08:00 – What Actually Helps Service Workers (Hint: Not Tax Gimmicks)
10:30 – Iowa DOGE Wants Performance Pay for Teachers
12:00 – Why Merit Pay Punishes Students Who Need Help Most
15:00 – The Business Model That’s Killing Public Education

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WATCH: The common good and the establishment (w/ Chris Jones) – Cornhole Champions Interview

WATCH: The common good and the establishment (w/ Chris Jones) – Cornhole Champions Interview

Iowa uses more pesticides per capita than any other state—nearly 54 million pounds annually. But according to research engineer Chris Jones, we might be focusing on the wrong chemicals when it comes to cancer risk.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with Jones, author of “The Swine Republic” and president of Driftless Water Defenders, to unpack Iowa’s chemical cocktail crisis. We explore why 60% of Iowa’s corn goes to ethanol production that exists only because of policy—not environmental benefits. Jones argues it’s time to “slaughter the sacred cow” and redirect farm conservation dollars toward systems that don’t pollute in the first place.

Toss some bags at Iowa’s pesticide problem… why ethanol might be our biggest policy mistake… and what a progressive water quality platform actually looks like.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.

SHOW RUNDOWN:
01:00 – Iowa uses more pesticides per capita than any other state
02:00 – The dangerous “chemical cocktail” effect explained
03:30 – Neonicotinoids: The overlooked pesticide in our drinking water
07:00 – How weeds fighting back is making everything worse
08:00 – Dicamba drift: Why everyone in Iowa is breathing toxic chemicals
12:00 – The “D-Day invasion” of crop dusters poisoning our air
22:00 – Why ethanol is Iowa’s biggest policy mistake
24:30 – Slaughtering the sacred cow: What needs to change now

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