NEW YORK — The National Black Farmers Association has called on Tractor Supply’s president and CEO to step down after the rural retailer announced that it would drop most of its corporate diversity and climate advocacy efforts.
The resignation demand emerged as Tractor Supply, which sells products ranging from farming equipment to pet supplies, faces a deepening backlash over its decision, which itself came after conservative activists spoke out against the company’s work to be more socially inclusive and to curb climate change.
In a public announcement last week, the company said it would eliminate all of its diversity, equity and inclusion roles, end sponsorships of “nonbusiness activities” like Pride festivals, and withdraw its goals for reducing carbon emissions. Critics of the new position argue that Tractor Supply is giving in to hate and harming its customers by abandoning crucial principles.
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“I was appalled by the decision,” John Boyd Jr., president and founder of the National Black Farmers Association, said in an interview. “I see this as rolling back the clock with race relations — because the country is so divided on race, especially in rural America.”
A Tractor Supply Company store sign is seen Feb. 2, 2023, in Pittsburgh. The National Black Farmers Association is calling on Tractor Supply’s president and CEO to step down, days after the rural retailer announced that it would be dismantling an array of its corporate diversity and climate advocacy efforts.
Tractor Supply declined to comment further when reached Tuesday.
Tractor Supply, which has its headquarters in Brentwood, Tennessee, operates over 2,200 stores across the United States, most of them located in rural areas. The retailer’s core customer base consists of shoppers in need of farm and ranch products, such as livestock feed, trucking supplies, tools and outdoor equipment.
Boyd said Tractor Supply stores can be found where much of NBFA’s 130,000 members are located. Like other farmers, he said Black farmers have shopped at the chain for years. Boyd, who is also a Tractor Supply shareholder, estimated personally spending more than $10,000 at his local store since January alone — buying supplies like fencing wire and feed for his cattle and horses in Virginia.
Before the company’s announcement, conservative activists opposed to DEI efforts, sponsorship of LGBTQ+ events and climate advocacy had spent weeks criticizing Tractor Supply on social media. Tractor Supply said in its Thursday statement that it was making the changes after hearing from disappointed customers and took “this feedback to heart.”
The decision marked a significant shift in messaging from Tractor Supply, which once touted its diversity and inclusion efforts. In recent years, the company has been trying to broaden its appeal to younger consumers — including former city dwellers it is at risk of now alienating.
