A major American business billed as the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer has dramatically apologised to customers and reversed its ‘woke’ workplace policies after a customer backlash. The Tractor Supply Company will eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion roles; withdraw carbon emissions goals; and stop sponsoring Pride events.
It was widely recognised as one of the country’s most inclusive and diverse workplace, but not by it’s mostly conservative consumers who vowed to boycott its 2,200 stores. The company publicly acknowledged that it had disappointed customers and announced a complete course correction.
“We work hard to live up to our Missions and Values every day and represent the values of the communities and customers we serve. We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them. We have taken this feedback to heart. Going forward, we will ensure our activities and giving, tie directly to our business,” it said.
The company also vowed to stop sponsoring “non-business activities” like Pride festivals and voting campaigns, and instead continue its focus on “rural America priorities” such as education, animal welfare and veteran causes.
Tractor Supply employs 50,000 staff and sells farm supplies, animal feed, tools, fencing and clothing — everything except tractors, according to its website. It says its customers are primarily farmers, horse owners, ranchers, tradesmen and suburban and rural homeowners.
Robby Starbuck, a journalist, music video director and unsuccessful Tennessee political candidate, launched the campaign against Tractor Supply which he agreed was one of conservatives’ most beloved brands, but at odds with their values. He pointed to its DEI hiring practices, in-office Pride Month decorations, climate change activism and funding of gender transitions. He urged others to “respectfully” flood Tractor Supply’s corporate offices with calls and emails stating their disapproval and when possible, start buying products from other stores instead. The company’s share value fell by nearly 5%.
The Washington Stand writes that: “While major league sports and other businesses quietly dumped the June [Pride Month] tradition, Tractor Supply opted for a full-scale reversal, complete with a public apology for its activism.” Mr. Starbuck responded: “This is a massive victory for sanity and the single biggest boycott win of our lifetime.”
The company is headquartered in the strongly Christian state of Tennessee where State lawmakers almost unanimously declared in a formal resolution that the entire month of July would be a month of prayer, fasting and repentance for all Christian residents to seek God’s intervention in reducing some of the state’s most enduring problems such as the high rates of homicide, drug addiction, drink and drug driving, human trafficking and 9,000 children needing foster homes.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies are reportedly being rapidly cut back by Corporate America. That was evidenced in a far more subdued Pride Month across the country in June. Senior executives told investigative journalist Christopher Rufo that: “DEI undermines productivity, destroys merit-based systems, and poisons corporate culture.” Mr. Rufo observed: “DEI is not an inevitability. It is a choice that can be undone. Corporate executives now have the political space — in essence, the social permission — to wind down these programs.”
