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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- John Deere is here to stay.

That was the message from the implement manufacturing giant to the Ottumwa Ecnomic Development Corporation on Tuesday.

Deere representative Andy Hansen announced that the John Deere Foundation would donate $100,000 for the next five years to the OEDC.

The Deere Ottumwa works will contribute another $50,000 next year.

The OEDC has been without a director since Roger Jones resigned the position.

Hansen says that a director is needed, but that the rest of the business community needs to get behind OEDC and help fund the organization properly.

With the Deere money, the OEDC will have a budget of about $300,000 a year for the next five years.

Hansen says that is about half of what is needed to make the OEDC an effective business recruiting tool.