John Deere has been named among the UK’s top 15 employers of armed forces veterans, following the success of its specialist recruitment programme aimed at helping former service personnel transition into agricultural careers.
The machinery giant climbed the rankings in the 2026 list of the 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans, having placed in the top 50 last year. Its final position will be revealed next month at the ninth annual British Forces in Business Awards.
The recognition highlights the growing impact of John Deere’s Military Hiring Programme, launched in the UK in 2023 to recruit ex-service personnel into technician roles at dealerships across the country.
The initiative was introduced following the success of a similar scheme in the United States and is designed to match veterans with vacancies in the agricultural and professional turfcare sectors.
Allan Cochran said the company was committed to helping former armed forces personnel build new careers after leaving military service.
“We are passionate about finding a way to give back to those who have served our country,” he said.
“The skills and the mindset of those leaving the forces are perfectly suited to the roles being offered by our dealerships.
“Those who have resettled into the John Deere family have cited many similarities in a working environment that's built around team effort and camaraderie.”
The company said the programme had gained momentum as labour shortages continue to affect the agricultural engineering sector, with dealerships increasingly looking to veterans as a skilled and disciplined workforce.
Alongside John Deere, four UK dealerships — Hunt Forest Group, Ripon Farm Services, Ben Burgess and Tallis Amos Group — have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging support for service leavers and military families pursuing careers in agriculture and turf industries.
The 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans programme was established to benchmark organisations on their support for ex-service personnel and promote best practice in veteran recruitment and retention.
Ben Rossi said veteran recruitment should be viewed as a strategic business decision rather than an act of corporate goodwill.
“Hiring from the Armed Forces community is not an exercise in corporate responsibility or morality,” he said.
“It’s a serious talent strategy which elevates business performance.”
John Deere said interested service leavers would be connected with former military personnel already working within the company’s network to discuss career opportunities and training pathways.
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