Tractor Supply Drops DEI, Pride and Emission Initiatives

Tractor Supply (Brentwood, Tenn.) said it is shutting down its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and withdrawing its support for pride festivals and carbon emission goals to placate customers opposed to such efforts.

“We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them,” the company said in a June 27 statement posted on its website. “We have taken this feedback to heart.”

Going forward, the retailer said, “we will ensure our activities and giving tie directly to our business.” That means it will:

• No longer submit data to the Human Rights Campaign (an LGBTQ advocacy group).
• Stop sponsoring “non-business activities” like pride festivals and voting campaigns, and putting more focus on rural America priorities including ag education, animal welfare, veteran causes and being a good neighbor.
• Eliminate DEI roles and retire its current DEI goals “while still ensuring a respectful environment.”
• Withdraw its carbon emission goals and focus on land and water conservation efforts.

“As we look forward to celebrating our nation’s independence on July 4, we also celebrate our more than 50,000 team members across 2250 stores,” the statement said. “Rural communities are the backbone of our nation and what make America great. We are honored to be a part of them.”

In its coverage of Tractor Supply’s announcement, National Public Radio said that the retailer’s action’s was a “response to criticism from conservative activists.” The retailer’s statement about the changes on X (formerly known as Twitter) had gotten more than 71,000 likes and 12,000 comments, NPR noted, many of them from conservative users applauding the company’s decision and calling for the movement to continue.

However, some X users expressed disappointment in the company, vowing not to shop there anymore and calling on others to do the same.