(LifeSiteNews) — Prominent farm and landscaping vehicle company John Deere is heavily involved in left-wing corporate activism deeply at odds with the values of many of its primary customers, according to a new review by conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck.
On July 9, Starbuck published a video about his findings to X/Twitter, detailing how the company has “gone woke” under the leadership of CEO John May.
It’s time to expose John Deere.@JohnDeere has been one of the most beloved brands by conservative farmers but recently on CEO John May’s watch, they’ve gone woke.
Here’s some of what we found:
• Funding a pride event for kids as young as 3
• “Genderbread man” training
•… pic.twitter.com/nWnSUCW08K— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) July 9, 2024
According to the review, John Deere is engaged in a variety of overtures to LGBT activists, including solicitation of employees’ “preferred pronouns,” gender identity training using the infamous “genderbread person” visual aid, and sponsorship of a “pride” event for children as young as three.
The company also reportedly touts a “total commitment” to the “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) framework, including having its accounting and finance team participate in the United Way’s 21-day “United for Equity” training program and various race- and sexuality-base identity groups at its corporate offices.
Starbuck said he was unsure whether May was actively championing such activities or oblivious to activist underlings, but either way hoped his expose and planned follow-ups would spur John Deere’s customers to action.
“I plan to report what we’ve found piece by piece so customers and potential customers are informed on the brand’s policies,” he said. “If they’re proud of adopting woke policies then John Deere and their CEO should be overjoyed by my reporting on their policies, positions, donations and culture.
“Next we’re going to be doing a deep dive on donations, interviews their executives have given, hiring practices, woke causes they’ve supported, the difficulties some farmers have faced trying to repair their products and much more,” he added.
In recent years, left-wing activists have used DEI and “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) standards to encourage major U.S. corporations to take favorable stands on political and cultural issues such as homosexuality, transgenderism, race relations, the environment, and abortion.
Political and customer backlashes to such activism has translated to business woes for companies such as Disney, Bud Light, Target, and most recently Tractor Supply, which late last month announced the abandonment of all its forays into left-wing causes and identity projects.