Tractor Supply Retreats From DEI Amid Conservative Backlash

Tractor Supply, a rural retailer that is known for selling animal feed and workwear, said it is done with corporate diversity and many environmental efforts, a striking reversal as more companies face criticism of these initiatives from conservative activists.

The company on Thursday said it is eliminating all jobs focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and withdrawing its carbon-emissions goals. The Brentwood, Tenn.-based retailer also said it is retiring its DEI goals and would stop sponsoring pride festivals for the LGBTQ community and voting campaigns ahead of the presidential election.

The moves, which come after weeks of criticism on social media from a prominent conservative political commentator, represent one of the most drastic corporate retreats from progressive initiatives at a time when many companies are reconsidering their advocacy of a host of causes.

“We have heard from customers that we have disappointed them,” the company said in a statement that was also posted on X. “We have taken this feedback to heart.”

Tractor Supply’s core customer base is more rural and male than general big-box retailers such as Walmart and Target, with many customers in regions that tend to vote for more conservative political candidates.

The company faced a surge in conservative activist complaints about its DEI efforts earlier this month, first on X, then on other social-media platforms. Some commenters threatened to boycott the brand, mirroring tactics used to nudge other companies to respond. The campaign was led by conservative political commentator and filmmaker Robby Starbuck, who called on his followers to “start buying what you can from other places.”

Activists’ efforts against Tractor Supply are part of a wider conservative movement directed at companies in recent years that in some cases have hurt sales by putting firms in the crosshairs of heated cultural and political debates.

Bud Light lost its spot as the top-selling beer in the U.S. last year after controversy over a social-media promotion with a transgender influencer caused a boycott from some shoppers. Target’s sales fell last summer after it reduced its Gay Pride Month merchandise displays amid criticism, offending both supporters and detractors. Target also faces a shareholder lawsuit regarding its Pride collection.

Shareholders at dozens of large companies, including United Parcel Service and GE Aerospace, voted on proposals opposing environmental and social initiatives this year. Investors backed by conservative groups are suing Target and other companies for their progressive stances. And companies are muting their focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as DEI programs come under legal and political threat.

The anti-DEI movement accelerated in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision overturning affirmative action in college admissions. While that decision didn’t address employment or business practices, it undercut the legal argument for diversity initiatives beyond academia. Companies have long relied on rationales similar to those buttressing affirmative action at universities—that there are benefits to diversity.

Tractor Supply said the company would no longer submit data to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. It also said it would further focus on rural priorities such as agricultural education, animal welfare, veteran causes and being a good neighbor. Instead of carbon emission goals, it will focus on land and water conservation efforts, it said.

Tractor Supply previously had targeted achieving net zero emissions in operations by 2040, as well as to increase people of color at the manager level and above by 50% and raise spending with diverse suppliers by 35%, among other goals, by 2026. The company had about 49,000 employees as of the end of 2023.

“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,” Tractor Supply said.

Write to Sarah Nassauer at [email protected] and Sabela Ojea at [email protected]