Senator Blumenthal requests Taylor Farms cyclospora outbreak records relating to the company’s communications with the White House and the FDA. The letter from the Democratic Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations states, “I write regarding the record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak and Taylor Farms’ acts of backroom dealing that may have delayed the government’s response to a preventable public health crisis that has sickened thousands of Americans. The outbreak and subsequent cover up of its origins have eroded public trust in the food supply and created an unacceptable risk to public health. Accordingly, I request information and records from Taylor Farms regarding the ongoing investigation into the outbreak, and the influence of Taylor Farms on staffing and program cuts at the agency.”
According to the letter, news reports suggest that Taylor Farms contacted the White House, asking to delay the recall of its iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico, which is implicated in the outbreak, and that the White House brought officials from the FDA into the call. Trent Morse, a lobbyist who used to work in the White House and is now employed by Taylor Farms, allegedly facilitated the call.
The letter also states, “Long before the outbreak made news, the Trump Administration’s cuts to food safety programs and staff matched Taylor Farms’ anti-regulation preferences, including cuts in monitoring food-borne pathogens, delaying implementation of the Food Traceability Rule, and cutting staff that communicate information about outbreaks to the public.5 Meanwhile, the response to the outbreak itself appears to be the latest instance of a disturbing pattern I have previously raised: the Trump Administration’s willingness to let corporate financial interests undermine Americans’ health.”
The outbreak, or outbreaks, have sickened almost 20,000 Americans in 45 states. Two people living in Michigan have died. The outbreak that implicates Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce affects nine states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Taylor Farms did recall all of its iceberg lettuce harvested from a farm in Central Mexico on July 17, 2026. Some of that lettuce was served at Taco Bell restaurants, which stopped serving iceberg lettuce on July 9, 2026.
The Senator is requesting all records regarding the company’s response to the outbreak, along with records reflecting the policies and procedures for preventing, monitoring, and responding to foodborne pathogens. He also asks for all communications between Taylor Farms and the White House referring to the outbreak, and all communications between Taylor Farms and the FDA relating to the outbreak.
