It seems no corporation is immune to the magnetic pull of woke politics, DEI policies, and ESG adherence, including the iconic tractor company, John Deere.
Filmmaker Robby Starbuck has made it his mission to expose corporations that submit to radical leftist policies, especially those that rely heavily on everyday Americans for their success. After successfully pressuring Tractor Supply Co. to ditch its DEI programs and focus on real American priorities, Starbuck has now set his sights on John Deere. And what he uncovered is quite disappointing.
According to Starbuck, John Deere’s submission to woke policies is deeper than you’d expect from a company primarily serving farmers and rural Americans. In a video posted on X, he detailed his findings in a bullet-pointed list:
- Funding a pride event for kids as young as three
- Implementing “Genderbread man” training
- Asking employees to list their “preferred pronouns” on all communications
- Listing Bill Gates as their largest shareholder
- Celebrating their finance team’s participation in United Way’s 21-day “United For Equity” program
- Promoting woke materials like Ibram Kendi’s “Anti-Racist Baby,” Robin DiAngelo’s works, and concepts like “Christian Privilege”
- Extending DEI policies to their Latin America and India branches
- Creating LGBTQ and race-based identity groups at corporate
- Fully committing to DEI policies
- Achieving a 95/100 CEI score from the Human Rights Campaign
Noah Wall, Executive Director at the State Financial Officers Foundation, added that John Deere’s 95/100 score from the Human Rights Campaign is because they “provided all the required benefits (which include paid transitions for kids) – just forgot to make a guide” for their benefits.
Adding to the frustration, John Deere recently announced significant layoffs and plans to move their factories from America to Mexico. According to Fox Business, operational costs in the U.S. and a lack of tractor sales are forcing the company to lay off hundreds of employees across the nation:
- 280 workers from a plant in East Moline, Illinois
- 230 employees from a factory in Davenport, Iowa
- 100 production employees from the Dubuque, Iowa plant
In total, about 500 employees were let go from its Waterloo plant in Iowa, according to WQAD.
If there’s one thing we can say for sure, it’s that DEI is costly for corporations. It not only requires significant money to implement for virtue signaling purposes, but it also results in fewer sales as products decrease in quality or the company alienates its customer base.
John Deere is no exception, and this is particularly heartbreaking given its long history in America, dating back to before the Civil War, and its popularity with rural Americans.
However, no major corporation is safe. This is why it’s important to make your voice heard. As Starbuck notes in his video, calling the corporate office and voicing your disagreement is crucial. Make it known that they’ve made a grave mistake.
