Deere Sowed $1.5M to Lobby Government

Deere Spent More Than $1.5 Million in 2007 to Lobby Government on Biofuels, Immigration

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Deere & Co., the world's largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery, spent more than $1.5 million in 2007 to lobby on numerous issues, including biofuels, bankruptcy, trade and immigration.

The company spent $740,000 in the second half of 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a 25-page disclosure report posted online Feb. 8 by the Senate's public records office.

Deere also lobbied Congress and the Agriculture and Homeland Security departments on other issues legislation related to patent reform, security of chemical facilities and protecting sensitive information and many other matters.

The Moline, Ill.-based company also spent $780,000 in the first six months of 2007 to lobby on similar issues.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.