Deere

Deere is a surname of English origin. It is associated with John Deere (1804–1886), an American blacksmith and inventor who founded Deere & Company, and with Deere & Company itself, a large American manufacturer of farm and construction equipment. The company is known for its green and yellow machinery and the leaping deer logo, and it is headquartered in Moline, Illinois. The name is also used generally to refer to the corporation and its products.

John Deere began work as a blacksmith and invented a steel plow capable of cutting through the heavy prairie soil. In 1837 he established a workshop in Grand Detour, Illinois, and later moved production to a larger facility in Moline. The steel plow and other iron products helped farmers increase productivity in mid-19th century America.

Deere & Company expanded beyond plows to tractors, combines, and other agricultural equipment in the 20th century. In 1918 Deere acquired the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company, forming the Waterloo tractor works, and began producing the Waterloo Boy tractor under the John Deere brand; later models refined over decades. The company broadened into construction equipment and turf care, and today serves global markets with a range of machinery and financial services.

As a corporate brand, John Deere has become one of the best-known names in farming and machinery, with a focus on durability and performance. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DE and is often cited as one of the largest manufacturers of agricultural equipment in the world.