Democrat Robert Garcia seeks Taylor Farms communications on Trump admin's cyclospora response

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, is investigating whether Taylor Farms used its ties to the White House to influence the federal response to a nationwide cyclospora outbreak. Garcia sent a letter to Taylor Farms CEO Bruce Taylor seeking information about the company's role in the outbreak, which has sickened thousands of people across dozens of states.

Garcia stated that Taylor Farms donated $1 million to President Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., in 2025 and contributed over $1 million to other Republican PACs. He also noted reports of the company meeting with the White House the night the FDA identified their lettuce as the source of the outbreak. "Thousands of Americans became sick. Trust in our public health system is on the line. The American people deserve to know Taylor Farms' full role in this outbreak, and we're demanding answers," Garcia said.

A White House spokesman dismissed Garcia's claims, stating that any notion of compromising the health and safety of the American people is false.

In his letter, Garcia claimed the outbreak has eroded public confidence in food safety and that Taylor Farms may have attempted to influence the FDA investigation and mislead consumers. He is demanding that Taylor Farms disclose all communications about cyclospora to federal agencies since the outbreak began, as well as any communications with the White House since January 21. Additional documents related to the company's safety protocols were also requested.

Taylor Farms previously stated that it acted quickly to remove potentially implicated products from the marketplace and that as of July 24, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for cyclospora.