The Texas Farm Bureau, the state's largest organization representing farmers, is telling its employees they can no longer wear its branded Nike apparel on the job.

Waco television station KWTX-TV first reported the boycott of the athletic brand, which last week waded into the middle of an ongoing controversy over national anthem protests by some NFL players.

Nike began airing TV commercials featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started a movement in 2016 by taking a knee during the anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. His face also is displayed on Nike billboards with the phrase: "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything."

Farm Bureau communications director Gene Hall told the Waco station the decision was made to help its employees avoid controversy over wearing the brand's signature swoosh.

In a statement emailed to employees, the farm bureau said: "There is a wide range of viewpoints on the Nike controversy. ... We are choosing to remove our companies from this controversy by discontinuing the use of Nike branded apparel for business purposes. The attire you choose on your own time is a personal matter."

When the Farm Bureau began catching flak on Twitter for its decision, it clarified its position:

Our request of employees only applies to Texas Farm Bureau branded apparel. All other apparel items are a matter of personal choice.



This decision was made to avoid the appearance of taking sides in this controversy. The KWTX story mentions most of this. — Texas Farm Bureau (@TexasFarmBureau) September 15, 2018

Nike's stock price soared last week to an all-time high after it made Kaepernick the face of its latest "Just Do It" campaign. The ad's theme is "Don't ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they're crazy enough."

In Rhode Island, a town council is considering asking its departments to refrain from purchasing Nike products over objections from the American Civil Liberties Union.

North Smithfield Town Council will discuss the resolution Monday evening. Council President John Beauregard is a former state trooper who is upset with Nike's decision to use the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback in ads.

North Smithfield hasn't said what it buys from Nike, if anything.

The mayor of a New Orleans suburb also recently rescinded a similar directive based on the city attorney's advice. And Mississippi's public safety chief said over the weekend that state police would no longer buy Nike products.

Earlier this month, a private Christian college in Point Lookout, Mo., vowed to remove all uniforms with the Nike logo.

"If Nike is ashamed of America, we are ashamed of them," College of the Ozarks President Jerry C. Davis said in a statement. "We also believe that those who know what sacrifice is all about are more likely to be wearing a military uniform than an athletic uniform."

The Associated Press also contributed information to this story.