In an era where cultural battles spill over into the corporate world, John Deere, an iconic brand deeply rooted in traditional American culture and agriculture, has veered sharply into controversial territory. Robby Starbuck, a conservative filmmaker and critic of woke culture who has also exposed companies like Tractor Supply, has taken to X to sound the alarm on John Deere’s recent pivot, accusing the company of abandoning its traditional consumer base in favor of woke policies.
Starbuck’s revelations paint a picture of a company deeply entangled in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that seem at odds with the core values of its primary customers—America’s farmers. Among the practices he highlights are the promotion of gender ideology, anti-White and anti-Christian training sessions, and the sponsorship of Pride events targeting children as young as three years old. This shift includes encouraging employees to use “preferred pronouns” and pushing the boundaries of corporate influence into personal identity politics.
Moreover, the evidence Starbuck provided—which includes internal videos and social media posts from John Deere—showcases a company culture that has seemingly embraced these new norms as essential to their business strategy. Statements from employees in these materials declare DEI a “business imperative,” a stance that starkly contrasts with the fact that business has been successful for almost 200 years without DEI.
This move by John Deere raises profound questions about the alignment of corporate policies with customer values. For many in rural America, where John Deere’s green tractors are as symbolic as the fields they till, the adoption of such ideologically charged policies isn’t just a corporate evolution; it’s a betrayal. Starbuck’s critique extends beyond mere disagreement, framing the company’s direction as a fundamental misreading of its customer base.
The backlash has been swift and decisive, with calls for boycotts and a push for consumers to use their purchasing power to protest. The sentiment echoes a broader discontent with how deeply political ideology has woven itself into the fabric of corporate America, often clashing with the values of everyday consumers.
