John Deere thumbs nose at Trump as shareholders rebuff anti-DEI bid

A right-wing think tank pressuring shareholders of large public companies to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion programs suffered a blowout defeat when they took their case to farming equipment manufacturer John Deere, independent journalist and author Nancy Levine Stearns reported Wednesday.

"At John Deere's annual shareholders meeting today, shareholders overwhelmingly rejected an anti-DEI proposal," wrote Stearns on Bluesky. The proposal, brought to shareholders by the National Center for Public Policy Research, "received less than 1 percent of votes. Deere shareholders: DEI is in. Bigots are out."

This is only the latest in a series of defeats for NCPPR, who lost by similar near-shutout margins when taking the same proposal to Costco and Apple. When Costco shut down its proposal, the company emphasized how good the wholesale bulk-buying club store's DEI policies, which seek to promote a more inclusive environment for racial and cultural minorities, were for business.

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“Among other things, a diverse group of employees helps bring originality and creativity to our merchandise offerings, promoting the ‘treasure hunt’ that our customers value,” said Costco. “We believe (and member feedback shows) that many of our members like to see themselves reflected in the people in our warehouses with whom they interact.”

Costco further said that NCPPR's agenda "is not reducing risk for the company but abolition of diversity initiatives."

"In yesterday's shareholders meeting at Apple and today at Deere, director from the NCPPR said, 'DEI is out, merit is in.' Shareholders: DEI is in," wrote Stearns. "Apple and John Deere shareholders voted on anti-DEI proposals from the National Center for Public Policy Research yesterday and today. Apple shareholders rejected 98-2 pct; Deere shareholders rejected 99-1 pct; Costco shareholders rejected in Jan. 98-2 pct."

Deere in July became one of the first major American companies to back off support for programs such as LGBTQ pride events.

The GOP has declared war on DEI training programs more broadly, with President Donald Trump signing an executive order to abolish any such programs within federal government agencies. However, a federal judge in Maryland temporarily blocked parts of that order this week, finding it may be so overbroad as to violate First Amendment rights.