John Deere, a well-known brand for agricultural vehicles and machinery, came under fire after sponsoring a Pride running event in Iowa. Angry conservative farmers expressed their outrage online, leading to the company's diversity policy coming under scrutiny. According to conservative TikTok users, the company encourages employees to respect colleagues' personal pronouns and offers diversity training.

John Deere responded via X (the former Twitter) by announcing that the policy on "external social or cultural visibility parades" would be tightened. The company will henceforth focus on events that "promote professional development." Additionally, the diversity training will be adjusted to be free from "socially motivated messages."

Furthermore, the company states that there are no "diversity quotas" at the headquarters and that employees do not have to "identify with personal pronouns." How staff should refer to others without using personal pronouns was not mentioned.

John Deere is not the first company to bow to pressure from conservative influencers. Tractor Supply Co. previously scrapped its diversity policy after customer complaints, and Bud Light and Walmart also faced boycotts and bomb threats due to their support for the LGBT+ community.