Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), a member of the House Oversight Committee, is asking some pointed questions about whether Taylor Farms used its White House connections to influence how the government handled a nationwide cyclospora outbreak linked to its recalled lettuce.

On Monday, Garcia sent a letter to CEO Bruce Taylor demanding answers about the company's role in the outbreak, which has reportedly sickened thousands across multiple states.

“Taylor Farms donated millions to President Trump, met privately with the White House the night the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified their lettuce as the source of this outbreak and then reportedly tried to distance themselves from this outbreak,” Garcia told CBS News.

The FDA had announced a strong link between cyclosporiasis illnesses and iceberg lettuce served at Yum! Brands Inc.'s Yum! Brands (YUM) Taco Bell locations in five states, but initially didn't name Taylor Farms as the source, Garcia said.

According to him, federal officials had already contacted Taylor Farms, whose executives then met privately with the White House and FDA on July 16 to dispute the findings. After the FDA shared information linking the company's lettuce supply to the outbreak, Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled its iceberg lettuce product the next day. The FDA later identified Taylor Farms de Mexico as the sole source of the potentially contaminated lettuce.

Garcia also alleged that Taylor Farms donated more than $2 million to Republican-aligned political action committees in 2025, including a $1 million contribution to President Donald Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC. That donation came shortly after the Trump administration delayed a food safety rule designed to improve produce traceability, while the company also spent heavily on lobbying related to food safety regulations.

The White House and Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Senators Question Outbreak Response Cuts

Echoing Garcia, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Sunday accused Taylor Farms of hindering efforts to contain the cyclospora outbreak and questioned whether the company's political donations to Trump were linked to CDC staffing cuts that weakened disease surveillance. He also raised concerns about possible delays in stopping the parasite's spread.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) criticized Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over cuts to the team monitoring cyclospora outbreaks, claiming staffing was reduced by more than 70%. The 11-member outbreak tracking unit was reportedly cut to just three employees in September last year.

A Health Department spokesperson told MarketDash that the CDC lab handling the Cyclospora outbreak response was unaffected by staff cuts and emphasized that the Trump administration has launched a “robust response” to address the outbreak.

Cyclospora Outbreak Triggers Recall Probe

The CDC reported 1,947 confirmed cases and 98 hospitalizations across nine states as of Friday, with no deaths recorded. Over 7,400 suspected cases are still under investigation as officials probe a lettuce-linked outbreak.

Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled products sold at Taco Bell and distributed across 27 states. Officials suspect parsley and cilantro, besides lettuce, may be linked to the outbreak.

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the FDA has narrowed the likely source of the cyclospora outbreak to central Mexico and specific farms but warned that officials cannot yet confirm the outbreak is fully contained. He said more investigation is needed to determine whether other growing regions may be involved, despite recent assurances from HHS Secretary RFK Jr. that the situation is under control.

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