Lettuce suppliers in America have been at the center of the Turbo Diarrhea epidemic, investing millions to influence food regulation policies and support Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans, as reported by public documents.
Taylor Farms, a key player in this sector, allocated over $2 million to conservative political groups in 2025, as per Federal Election Commission filings. This sum includes a substantial $1 million contribution to MAGA Inc., a Trump-focused super PAC, plus $1.1 million to other super PACs aimed at promoting Republican candidates.
From 2020 through the end of 2024, Taylor Farms donated more than $1.6 million to conservative PACs, including $850,000 to AFP Action, an anti-regulation super PAC with a connection to the Koch network.
Bruce Taylor, the chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms, has been a long-standing supporter of Republican initiatives. Since 2020, he has personally contributed over $900,000 to Republican PACs and candidates, including Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
Like many large corporations in the food industry, Taylor Farms has spent significant resources lobbying for favorable industry regulations. In early 2025, they employed a lobbyist from Sidley Austin to advocate for “food safety regulations,” according to disclosure documents. The company has since invested $810,000 in lobbying efforts.
Food policy expert Marion Nestle noted that Taylor Farms’ contributions reflect a wider issue within the U.S. food industry, where major corporations use funds to promote policies that dilute food safety regulations and accountability during outbreaks.
Nestle stated, “The FDA has regulations for what food producers must do, but no one wants to implement them due to the cost and difficulty,” in a conversation with WIRED.
In response to the ongoing discourse, the HHS account posted, “This is how fake news works: insinuates collusion and ignores facts.” Posted on Monday. “Science and the safety of the American public are our only priorities.”
Taylor Farms has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with how the CDC and FDA have handled investigations into the current Cyclospora outbreak, which has affected thousands across various states. Recent statements indicated that the FDA had “apologized” for a false positive test on a Taylor Farms lettuce sample—an assertion the FDA refuted.
Before the false positive incident, executives from Taylor Farms held discussions with White House and FDA officials concerning what was described as “deficiencies” in the agency’s response. The New York Times reported that this meeting occurred after Taylor Farms recruited former White House Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel Trent Morse, who left the Trump administration to establish a government relations firm.
The recent diarrhea outbreak is not the first instance drawing attention to Taylor Farms, which generates approximately $7 billion in annual revenue. In 2013, the FDA identified the company as the source of a cyclospora outbreak impacting hundreds.
By 2015, the company had voluntarily recalled several products, including celery, over potential Escherichia coli contamination. In 2024, certain types of yellow onions were also recalled due to an outbreak associated with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. Reports from CBS News indicated that FDA inspections uncovered numerous violations at the Colorado facility tied to the Quarter Pounder outbreak, raising concerns over inadequate sanitation practices.
Since 2025, the FDA has scrutinized 18 factories linked to Taylor Farms, noting that in three cases, the findings led to “instructions for voluntary measures.” This implies that while violations were detected, their severity did not necessitate formal enforcement actions.
Additionally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has noted over 21 violations across Taylor Farms facilities in the U.S. since early 2025, including a serious instance in which a New Jersey facility was fined $1.1 million following an employee fatality due to injuries incurred while cleaning industrial equipment.
Source: www.wired.com