Agriculture is an industry of routine and ritual, from farmers crossing their fingers each spring in hopes their corn will grow knee-high by the Fourth of July to John Deere shareholders sitting through another annual meeting each February where they resoundingly vote down proposals from conservative activists asking the company to dismantle its diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
At least that’s how annual meetings played out before Deere last July pulled back from its DEI efforts. The company, which had always recommended that its shareholders vote “no” on the anti-DEI proposals, said customer feedback drove its change of heart. “Our customers’ trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere,” the company wrote on social media. “We will no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events.”