An “exploding” John Deere tractor is on display Wednesday, April 29, 2015, inside a lounge area at the new Duluth Trading Company store in Ankeny.
John Deere, the agricultural manufacturing company, announced on Tuesday they will no longer be participating or supporting social or cultural awareness parades, festivals or events.
In a statement posted to X on Tuesday, the company also reaffirmed that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification within the business has never been and are not company policy.
“We remain committed to listening to our customers, employees, and other key stakeholders,” said the company in a statement. “Your trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere and we fully intend to earn it every day and in every way we can.”
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The company is not completely abandoning its diversity efforts however, stating that they believe a diverse workforce is what allows them to best meet customer’s goals. John Deere stated they will continue to “track and advance” the diversity of the organization, without providing additional details.
John Deere is the latest company to distance itself from social causes.
In June, Tennessee-based retailer Tractor Supply Co., announced they would be eliminating their DEI department entirely. As previously reported by the Tennessean, Tractor Supply announced they would be listening to customer concerns and eliminating DEI methods, along with other changes.
“We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them,” said a statement posted to X. “We have taken this feedback to heart.”
Tractor Supply’s announcement came after a weeks-long social media campaign, led by former Hollywood director turned conservative activist, Robby Starbuck. Starbuck called John Deere’s announcement great, but questioned if the company would follow in Tractor Supply’s footsteps and completely eliminate its DEI department
Here is what else to know.
What other policies will John Deere be implementing?
John Deere stated it would commit to the following, based on ongoing conversations:
- No longer participating in or supporting external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events.
- Business Resource Groups will exclusively be based on professional development, networking, mentoring, and supporting talent recruitment efforts
- Auditing all company-mandated training materials and policies to ensure the absence of socially motivated messages, while being in compliance with federal, state and local laws
- Reaffirming within the business that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy
Robby Starbuck: ‘Another huge win in our war on wokeness’
Starbuck, who called the announcement by John Deere a “huge win in our war on wokeness,” said he is skeptical if the move will incentivize customers to return.
“This half measure shows that we’re a powerful force to be reckoned with though. While I’m not completely pleased, I don’t want to downplay the fact that this is another massive win,” he said on X.
“I won’t rest until we eliminate leftism from corporate America.”
Tractor Supply’s June announcement did not address any specific customer feedback, however Starbuck led an online campaign against the company. On June 6, Starbuck posted a nearly eight minute-long video on social media, telling viewers about donations Tractor Supply has made to LGBTQ+ organizations over the past several years.
Starbuck moved to Tennessee in 2019. In 2022, he made a failed attempt to run for Congress.
Survey shows DEI programs remain in place at many companies
In spite of Tractor Supply and John Deere’s recent moves, a survey exclusively shared with USA TODAY by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals and YourCause from Blackbaud showed most companies are not backtracking on these initiatives.
According to the survey, 96% of corporate social impact professionals across 125 major companies say DEI commitments have either increased (13%) or stayed the same (83%), USA TODAY reported.
Human Rights Campaign: ‘John Deere’s decision is disappointing’
Eric Bloem, Vice President of Programs and Corporate Advocacy for the Human Rights Campaign, called John Deere’s statement a “a direct result of a coordinated attack by far-right extremists on American business.” The Human Rights Campaign is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.
Bloem said John Deere’s tactics infiltrate and force businesses to question long-standing values of inclusion that have for decades proven to drive business success. John Deere’s decision is disappointing, added Bloem.
According to Bloem, cutting DEI initiatives risks alienating customers and employees to appease extremists who care about neither.
“With close to 30% of Gen Z adults identifying as LGBTQ+ and the community holding 1.4 trillion in spending power, decisions to abandon values of diversity and inclusion are detrimental to any company’s bottom line and the American economy writ-large,” said Bloem in a statement.
Are there John Deer locations in Tennessee?
Yes, John Deere products can be found in multiple locations in Tennessee, mainly in the Middle Tennessee Region. Dealer locations can be searched online using the John Deere Global Dealer Locator tool.
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