Taylor Farms Bought Deregulation, Then People Got Parasites

More than 1,600 people have been confirmed sick in a multistate Cyclospora outbreak, while federal health officials continue investigating the source.

Taylor Farms lettuce was initially identified as a possible source, but the FDA later retracted its only positive test and said the result was a false positive. The agency still believes lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms may be linked to the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Taylor Fresh Foods donated $1 million to the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. super PAC on March 26, 2025 — just 6 days after the FDA delayed enforcement of the Food Traceability Rule until 2028.

That rule was designed to make it easier to trace high-risk food through the supply chain and identify contaminated products more quickly.

Taylor Farms and its affiliates also donated more than $3.6 million to conservative groups between 2020 and 2025, while the company spent $810,000 lobbying on “the regulation of food safety.”

The timing does not prove that a donation caused a regulatory decision. It does show exactly why food-safety regulation, political donations, lobbying, and corporate accountability deserve scrutiny.

SOURCES:

1. WIRED "Taylor Farms Spent Big on MAGA and AntiRegulatory Lobbying Before Diarrhea Outbreak"

2. NPR — "FDA still focused on Taylor Farms lettuce as Cyclospora source despite retracted test:"

3. The Lever — "Repeat Food Contaminator Gave $2.2 Million to GOP. Now Thousands Are Sick:"

4. Futurism — "Taylor Farms Made Huge Donation to Trump Group After Loosening of Rules That Could Have Prevented Explosive Diarrhea Outbreak:"

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