The lettuce supplier at the heart of the current cyclospora diarrhea outbreak has a long history of spending heavily to shape food policy. Public filings reveal that Taylor Farms donated millions to conservative causes before the crisis hit.
The company gave over $2 million to political groups in 2025 alone. Federal Election Commission records show a $1 million check to MAGA Inc., the super PAC backing Donald Trump. Another $1.1 million went to other GOP super PACs.
This isn’t new behavior. Between 2020 and late 2024, Taylor Farms pumped over $1.6 million into conservative PACs. That included $850,00 for AFP Action. It’s an anti-regulation group tied to the Koch network.
Bruce Taylor, the CEO and chairman, backs Republicans, too. Since 2020 he has given more than $900,00 personally. That money went to candidates like Sen. John Cornyn in Texas and Sen. Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee.
The Cost of Influence
Corporate giants spend big on lobbying, too. Taylor Farms is no exception.
In early 2025 the firm hired Sidley Austin. These lobbyists were hired to push for specific food safety regulations. Disclosure forms show Taylor Farms spent $810,00 on those efforts since then.
Food policy expert Marion Nestle sees a pattern here. Multibillion-dollar companies use cash to push for rules that cut accountability during outbreaks.
The FDA has rules for producers. Nobody wants to follow them, Nestle said. They are expensive and hard to manage.
The US Department of Health and Human Services jumped to defend the Trump administration. They posted on X that the political donations did not change how officials handled the cyclospora outbreak.
“This is how the FAKE NEWS works,” the HHS account said. The government ignored facts and implied collusion. Their decision making is driven only by science and public safety, they claimed.
A History of Violations
Taylor Farms disagrees with how the CDC and FDA handled this investigation. Thousands are sick. States are affected.
The company claimed the FDA apologized after announcing a false positive test on their lettuce samples. The FDA pushed back. An official apology never happened, they told reporters.
Before the false positive, Taylor executives met with White House and FDA staff. They discussed “shortfalls” in the agencies’ response.
This meeting followed the hire of Trent Morse. He is a former deputy director of the White House Presidential Personal Office. He left the Trump admin in September to start a government relations firm.
The current diarrhea outbreak is not the first trouble for Taylor Farms.
The company brings in roughly $7 billion a year. Regulators have flagged them before.
- In 2013, the CDC traced a cyclospora outbreak to the supplier.
- In 2015 Taylor recalled celery products due to E. coli risks.
- In 2024, they recalled yellow onions linked to an E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers.
CBS News reported that FDA inspectors found many violations at the Colorado facility. Handwashing was minimal. Equipment was dirty.
The FDA inspected 18 Taylor Farms plants in the US since 2025 started. Three resulted in “voluntary action indicates” statuses. Violations existed. They were not severe enough for mandatory enforcement.
Occupational safety issues are worse. The OSHA has cited 21 violations across Taylor facilities since early 2025.
In one case, a New Jersey plant was fined $1.1 million. An employee died after injuring themselves cleaning an industrial blancher in May 2025.
The FDA says the July 17 voluntary recall by Taylor Farms still stands. The link to the ongoing outbreak remains clear.
Case counts likely underestimate the true number of infections in the US. The outbreak could get much bigger.
Why It Matters
Political spending often shields corporations from strict oversight. Taylor Farms has used money to influence both elections and regulations. When food safety fails, the public pays the price.
The government claims its actions are science-based. Donations do not sway decisions, they say. But the timing of hiring former officials and the intensity of lobbying efforts suggest otherwise.
Taylor Farms continues to operate. Thousands are sick. The investigation is ongoing.
Who watches the watchmen when the watchmen are bought?
