Farm equipment manufacturer John Deere on Thursday announced it is dropping a series of initiatives geared toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the company said it would either be changing or eliminating multiple internal policies and DEI initiatives and said it is also reviewing published materials to "remove socially motivated messages" in compliance with federal and local laws.

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The John Deere company name is seen on the last day of CES 2019, on January 11, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. - The enormous international gadget and consumer electronics show returns to Las Vegas on January 7, 2020.

"Our customers' trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere. We fully intend to earn it every day and in every way we can," the company said in the Twitter post.

In addition to making changes in its policies and materials, the farm equipment manufacturer announced that it will "no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events."

Furthermore, John Deere noted that "diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy." That being said, the company said it will continue to track and advance the diversity within the workforce. No further details were provided.

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What Led to John Deere's Announcement

The announcement came only weeks after Tractor Supply said it is shutting down its corporate DEI efforts following backlash and growing pressure from conservative activists opposed to diversity efforts, sponsorship of LGBTQ+ Pride events, and climate advocacy. Criticism of both John Deere and Tractor Supply appeared to be led by conservative political commentator and filmmaker Robby Starbuck on X.

In a post on X in June, Starbuck criticized Tractor Supply for its diversity training and funding Pride events, calling the company's initiatives "forced woke values."

Following John Deere's announcement, Starbuck celebrated "another huge win in our war on wokeness" but said the company's effort was not enough. He later called on John Deere to completely eliminate its DEI policies and to stop participating in Corporate Equality Index scoring from the Human Rights Campaign, the largest advocacy group for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.

On the flip side, John Deere's recent move has faced a pushback from the Human Rights Campaign. Eric Bloem, vice president of programs and corporate advocacy, called the company's decision a "direct result of a coordinated attack by far-right extremists," per CNN.

Meanwhile, John Boyd, Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association, called for the resignation of Deere & Co CEO John C. May.

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