Feb 26 (Reuters) - Deere investors voted

overwhelmingly against a resolution aimed at its diversity,

equity and inclusion efforts on Wednesday, continuing a pattern

of shareholder distaste for anti-DEI measures despite Republican

political pressure on executives.

During a webcast of its annual meeting, executives with the

farm equipment maker said only 1.3% of votes cast were in

support of a resolution calling on the company to report on

racial and gender hiring statistics "to prove it does not

practice discrimination."

The resolution was filed by the National Legal and Policy

Center, a conservative-leaning Washington think tank that has

opposed many corporate diversity efforts. Two other resolutions

aimed at restricting social action by Deere won similarly low

levels of support.

Deere's meeting was closely watched because in July it

became one of the first major U.S. companies to back away from

supporting programs such as LGBTQ+ pride events.

Numerous other U.S. companies have retreated from DEI in

recent months, particularly as the Trump administration has

stepped up threats to companies and institutions that engage in

those efforts.

But many investors and executives see DEI efforts as

necessary to address underrepresentation of certain populations

in management roles. On Tuesday, Apple investors voted in

defense of the company's DEI policies, as did Costco investors

in January.