Deere & Co., the world’s leading farm equipment maker, is changing its approach to diversity after facing criticism from conservative voices. This is the second agriculture company to do so in recent weeks.
Deere announced on the social media platform X that it will stop taking part in “cultural awareness parades” and will have its business resource groups focus only on professional development, networking, mentoring, and helping with talent recruitment.
The company, which is based in Moline, Illinois, has become the latest target of Robby Starbuck, a conservative commentator. On July 9, he posted online promising to “expose” Deere for being “woke.” He criticized the company for various “woke” actions it has engaged in over the past few years.
This is similar to a campaign Starbuck launched against Tractor Supply Co. last month. On June 27, Tractor Supply said it would stop setting diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, stop sharing data with the Human Rights Campaign, and withdraw its carbon emission goals to align its activities with its business more closely. This decision upset the National Black Farmers Association and LGBTQ groups.
Conservative activists have also filed lawsuits against companies’ diverse hiring practices. As a result, some companies are downplaying their diversity goals, and others are cutting back on programs designed to help marginalized groups.
Deere’s decision follows an agreement it made last month to pay more than a million dollars in back wages and interest to 277 Black and Hispanic job applicants after the Department of Labor found evidence of hiring discrimination.
A list of awards Deere received for its inclusiveness has been removed from the company website, along with the names of about a dozen employee resource groups, including those for women, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Recently, John Deere also decided to move some of its operations to Mexico. This move is part of the company’s strategy to cut costs and streamline production.
By relocating these operations, Deere aims to take advantage of lower labor costs in Mexico, which can help the company remain competitive in the global market. This shift is expected to impact some jobs in the United States, but it is also seen as a way for Deere to improve its overall efficiency and profitability.
Deere’s shares increased by 1.7% as of 10:05 a.m. in New York. The company’s recent changes, both in scaling back diversity efforts and moving operations to Mexico, highlight its efforts to respond to conservative pressures and focus on cost-saving measures.
