Taylor Farms Spent Big on MAGA and Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Before Diarrhea Outbreak - WIRED

What the report says

WIRED reported that Taylor Farms, a major lettuce supplier connected to a current cyclospora diarrhea outbreak, has made substantial political donations to conservative groups while also lobbying on food safety regulation. Citing public filings, WIRED said the company donated more than $3.6 million to conservative political organizations from 2020 to 2025, including $1 million in 2025 to MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Donald Trump.

According to the report, Taylor Farms gave more than $2 million to conservative groups in 2025 and more than $1.6 million from 2020 through 2024, including $850,000 to AFP Action, which WIRED described as an anti-regulation super PAC linked to the Koch network. WIRED also reported that Bruce Taylor, the company’s chairman and CEO, has personally donated more than $900,000 since 2020 to Republican candidates and PACs. The company hired Sidley Austin lobbyists in early 2025 to work on “regulation of food safety” and has spent $810,000 on lobbying since then, the outlet said.

The report comes amid scrutiny of the federal response to the cyclospora outbreak, which WIRED said has sickened thousands across multiple states. The US Department of Health and Human Services said on X that Taylor Farms’ donations did not affect the Trump administration’s response and that decisions are guided by science and public safety. Taylor Farms did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment, according to the article.

WIRED also noted past regulatory attention involving Taylor Farms, including earlier outbreaks and recalls, recent FDA inspections at affiliated US plants, and OSHA citations at company facilities. The broader significance is the intersection of food safety oversight, corporate political spending and public trust during outbreak investigations.