US Rep. Garcia accuses Taylor Farms of using White House ties to interfere with cyclosporiasis outbreak probe

Published Jul 28, 11:30 AM UTC

A cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to Taylor Farms lettuce has sparked political controversy, with Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) demanding answers about the company's White House connections. Over 4,100 lab-confirmed cases have been reported across nine U.S. states, led by Michigan with over 9,000 reported cases. Garcia alleges Taylor Farms used its ties to the Trump administration to interfere with the FDA investigation, noting the company donated millions to President Trump and met with the White House the night the FDA identified their lettuce as the outbreak source. Taylor Farms complained to White House and FDA officials about inspection processes, but the White House denies compromising public health. The FDA linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms' central Mexico operations served at Taco Bell, though no positive product tests have been confirmed. The company voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce from the region.