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According to Starbuck, the list of grievances includes sponsoring events and trainings that promote concepts many find controversial, and changes in corporate culture that prioritize identity politics over traditional business practices. He stated, “John Deere has been one of the most beloved brands by conservative farmers but recently on CEO John May’s watch, they’ve gone woke.”
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Among the controversial DEI initiatives, John Deere has been criticized for funding a Pride event for children as young as three, implementing “Genderbread Man” training to discuss gender fluidity, and encouraging employees to list their preferred pronouns in all communications. The company has also participated in programs like United Way’s 21-day “United For Equity” challenge, which promotes works by authors such as Ibram Kendi and encourages engagement with topics many find contentious.
Additionally, John Deere’s celebration of its accounting and finance team completing the “United For Equity” program, which endorses materials that some argue promote an anti-capitalist and racially divisive agenda, has compounded the backlash. The company’s recent decision to lay off U.S. workers and shift production to Mexico has only added to the discontent.
The John Deere diversity page states: “We encourage employees to use their personal pronouns (such as he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs) in internal and external communications, including email correspondence and email signatures. Not only is this a sign of mutual respect, it’s practical for our global company. With employees and customers on six continents, sharing our pronouns and respecting one another’s helps foster a sense of belonging for all, since the use of gendered nouns varies across cultures and individuals.”
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John Deere is not alone in facing such criticism. In late June, Tractor Supply Company, a national retailer of farm supplies, issued a sweeping apology to its customer base after facing a storm of criticism over its DEI initiatives. The company announced that it would cease sponsoring non-business-related events like pride festivals and voting campaigns. Additionally, Tractor Supply is shifting its environmental focus from carbon emission targets to land and water conservation efforts.
As more companies face backlash over their DEI policies, it remains to be seen how these initiatives will impact their relationship with their conservative customer base. For now, John Deere’s actions have clearly struck a nerve, leading to significant unrest among its traditionally loyal rural customers. The situation highlights the growing tension between corporate DEI efforts and the values of their long-standing consumer base.
