Taylor Farms, one of the largest packaged salad and vegetable producers in the United States, contributed over $3.6 million to conservative political groups between 2020 and 2025, according to Federal Election Commission filings. In 2025 alone, the company gave $1 million to MAGA Inc., the Trump-aligned super PAC, and $1.1 million to other Republican super PACs. Bruce Taylor, chairman and CEO, added personal donations exceeding $900,000 to Republican candidates and committees, including Senators John Cornyn and Marsha Blackburn. These donations come amid intense lobbying against food safety regulations, while the company faces a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands across multiple states.
Lobbying to weaken food safety rules
Taylor Farms spent $810,000 on lobbying in 2025, hiring the firm Sidley Austin to advocate on regulation of food safety
. The company has supported anti-regulatory policies through donations to AFP Action, a super PAC tied to the Koch network, totaling $850,000 since 2020. Marion Nestle, a food policy expert, said these donations are part of a broader issue: large corporations use their resources to reduce regulations, making accountability during outbreaks harder. The FDA has regulations in place, but nobody wants to follow them because they are expensive and difficult
, she stated. The current cyclospora outbreak has led to clashes between Taylor Farms and federal agencies, with accusations of false-positive tests and meetings with White House officials.
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Violations and history of contamination
This is not the first time Taylor Farms has drawn regulatory scrutiny. In 2013, the FDA linked the company to a cyclospora outbreak; in 2015, it recalled products contaminated with E. coli; in 2024, its onions were tied to an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders. FDA inspections since 2025 found violations in three of 18 plants inspected, while OSHA has cited at least 21 violations, including a $1.1 million fine for a fatal incident in New Jersey. These episodes raise questions about the balance between political donations and public safety, a theme also seen in other sectors, such as Chinese AI influence on the White House. The HHS denied that donations influenced the federal response, but controversies persist. For context on political donations in corporate America, see the Wikipedia page for the Federal Election Commission.
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Source: https://www.wired.com/story/diarrhea-outbreak-taylor-farms-maga-donations-lobbying
