Fact File: Video spreads fake story about John Deere exiting Canada

Rumours that farming equipment giant John Deere is leaving Canada spread this week on social media alongside a video claiming the company would be moving its factories to the United States.

In fact, John Deere hasn't manufactured farm equipment in Canada since 2009 and the company says the claims in the video are false. The video comes from a YouTube channel that appears to use artificial intelligence to produce spam news content.

"John Deere didn't quietly cut production. They packed up the future of Canadian manufacturing and moved it straight into the United States," said the narrator in a 17-minute-long video posted to YouTube, where it reached more than 200,000 views in two days.

The video, titled "Canada ERUPTS as John Deere CUTS OFF Production - Carney EXPLODES As Factory Moves To U.S!," links the supposed exit to policy decisions by the federal government and the trade war with the United States.

The video was reposted to the X platform, formerly Twitter, TikTok and Facebook, and the claim was spread without the video on X and Facebook.

THE FACTS

The claims in the video are false, a representative from John Deere told The Canadian Press in an email.

The company based in Moline, Ill., has a handful of parts distribution centres in Canada and a forestry equipment factory in Langley, B.C. Its farming equipment manufacturing plant in Welland, Ont., ceased operations in 2009. A Nisku, Alta., remanufacturing facility, which refurbished previously used or worn out parts, was shut down in 2021.