America’s rural farming communities had their tranquility well and truly upended over the past few days after long-standing agricultural retailer Tractor Supply Company responded to one social media backlash and prompted another.
From the frying pan to the fire it has duly leapt, after the company, which employs more than 50,000 staff across 2,250 stores, announced that it was controversially to call time on its Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) roles, withdraw its carbon emission goals and cease data submissions to the Human Rights Campaign, pretty much with immediate effect.
An official announcement came after the company received complaints in a thread by activist Robby Starbuck on X that threatened to “expose Tractor Supply” over its so-called woke agenda, including a photo of Tractor Supply Company CEO Hal Lawton receiving a Covid-19 vaccination.
The initial posts prompted multiple threats of a boycott on social media as the company became the latest to find itself caught between customers with widely different political beliefs. Last year, beverage maker Bud Light’s sales fell after it ran an advertisement featuring a transgender social media influencer, while Target lost business after unveiling a Pride Month collection.
Conservative legal campaigns have not only hit corporate DEI programs, but some companies have privately rebranded their DEI policies and rowed back from commitments without making an announcement.
Tractor Supply Company Announcement
Not so Tractor Supply Company, which in a statement posted June 27 appeared to cave in completely to conservative pressure while inflaming many other groups.
Included in its statement, it said:
“For more than 85 years, Tractor Supply has been focused on one thing…serving Life Out Here. Every day our 50,000 Team Members take care of our customers like family. We deeply value our relationship with our customers and the communities we call home…We work hard to live up to our Mission 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.”
It added that going forwards it would ensure that its activities and giving tie directly to its business, which means that it will no longer submit data to the Human Rights Campaign; will refocus team engagement groups on mentoring, networking and supporting the business; and will “further focus on rural America priorities” including ag education, animal welfare, veteran causes and “being a good neighbor and stop sponsoring non-business activities like pride festivals and voting campaigns.”
The company added that it will: “Eliminate DEI roles and retire our current DEI goals while still ensuring a respectful environment; Withdraw our carbon emission goals and focus on our land and water conservation efforts; We will continue to listen to our customers and Team Members. Your trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance, and we don’t take that lightly.”
Change Of Direction
It is all a far cry from 2021, when the company announced goals designed to drive social impact, including doubling the number of stores where team members mirror their communities, increasing people of color at manager level and above by 50%; increasing spending with diverse suppliers by 35%; and increasing its commitment to funding programs and education for black and African Americans by 30%.
As recently as April this year, Tractor Supply published its fifth annual update highlighting progress made through 2023 on its sustainability priorities plus a commitment to set science-based targets to reduce carbon emissions, and three-year water conservation goals.
In addition, in the last two years the retailer has planted approximately 68,000 trees, restored over 470 acres of riverbank landscape and conserved more than 10 million gallons of water through partnerships with Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited.
Those aspirations seem to have changed overnight, regaining one set of customers and losing another.
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