Deere rolls back diversity initiatives after social media backlash (2024)

Dive Brief:

• Deere & Co. said Tuesday it will dial back some of its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, becoming one of the latest agricultural companies to distance themselves from the larger DEI movement following a wave of conservative criticism.

• The farm equipment giant said in a statement posted to social media that it will no longer participate in “social or cultural awareness” events. Deere will also audit training materials and policies to ensure there are no “socially motivated messages,” and reaffirmed that "diversity quotas and pronoun identification" are not part of company policy.

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• The decision comes weeks after rural retailer Tractor Supply ended its corporate diversity and climate efforts. The National Black Farmers Association called for a boycott of Deere and Tractor Supply following the decisions, asking the CEOs to step down.

Dive Insight:

Deere and Tractor Supply have faced online pressure to shelve DEI goals and programs in a campaign fueled by conservative activist Robby Starbuck, who has leveraged the companies' rural customer base to encourage a boycott.

"We’re a powerful force to be reckoned with," Starbuck said on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the Deere announcement. "I won’t rest until we eliminate leftism from corporate America."

Other companies beyond those catering to rural America have also moved to downsize DEI programs as the groundswell of support for these policies that began in 2020 starts to fade. Earlier this month, Microsoft laid off its DEI team after pouring millions of dollars into the initiative due to “changing business needs,” Business Insider reported.

The changes raise concerns that more companies will continue to downplay diversity goals or remove programs entirely. Starbuck, for example, is still keeping the pressure on Deere to cut DEI altogether after the manufacturer said in its statement that it will still "track and advance diversity."

"Another huge win in our war on wokeness BUT I don’t think this is enough for customers to go back," Starbuck wrote following Deere's announcement. "Customers want to hear that DEI policies are entirely gone."

Deere did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Agriculture Dive about the future of its overall DEI efforts and if related restructuring or layoffs were in the works.

Over the years, companies across industries have implemented DEI policies and strategies in an effort to strengthen their workforces by empowering people of different races, ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations. Common practices include racial equity training sessions, Pride Month events and sustainability commitments.

More than half of all U.S. workers agree that focusing on these kinds of initiatives are a good thing, according to Pew Research. However, efforts to roll back DEI are gaining momentum particularly after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to overturn affirmative action in higher education.

Still, supporters and experts say DEI has become politicized during an election year and is widely misunderstood.

John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, called for the resignation of Deere’s CEO John May and for others to boycott the company, with the organization saying the move on DEI is a step in the "wrong direction." Last month, Deere was forced to pay $1.1 million to resolve allegations of discriminatory hiring practices against Black and Hispanic job applicants.

“I challenge John Deere to service all of America's farmers, including Black farmers,” Boyd said.

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• Tractor Supply slashes all DEI roles, carbon-emission goals and Pride support Retail Dive
• Deere to pay $1.1M over racial discrimination allegations By Kate Magill • June 21, 2024