It is not the hysteria that you are trying to imply.
Yes, JD has been shifting production around the world for 50 years. It is how they stay in business and on top so they can continue to produce ag equipment including tractors. They didn't get to be the best by making wrong decisions.
Naysayers are abound.
When a production line comes to the end of their era, shifts of personnel are in order. If they are good workers, likely will move to new areas of new production lines.
If talking about protecting union workers, then that is a whole different thing.
And I won't pretend to know exactly what prompted the gossip in someone's column, but we all are familiar with the stories written to make a big splash and spread fear.