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

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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