Sen. Elizabeth Warren is demanding answers from the Trump administration as cases of cyclosporiasis have grown over the last month, raising questions about the safety of lettuce consumption.
In a letter to the White House, Warren called on the Food and Drug Administration to answer a series of questions. In the letter, Warren suggested the White House was influenced by Taylor Farms and did not directly blame the company for the outbreak. She also alleged political contributions from Taylor Farms influenced the FDA’s decision-making.
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She asked for details on FDA testing and communications tied to a cyclospora finding on Taylor Farms produce. She questioned how false positives are reviewed, why the FDA revisited the result, whether outside pressure played a role, and request records of agency and White House contacts.
Taylor Farms denied that politics played a role in the FDA's decision.
"Taylor Fresh Foods acts in the interest of science and consumer health, not politics. We categorically reject suggestions that we attempted to receive or received favorable regulatory treatment due to political contributions or other improper influence. Any such allegations are false," the company told Scripps News. "Taylor Fresh Foods is a pioneer and industry leader in traceability. We fully support and endorse the Food Traceability Rule and have already implemented traceback protocols across our operations ahead of the compliance deadline.
In July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially linked contaminated lettuce to produce supplied by Taylor Farms. The CDC later said the result was a false positive and has been unable to determine the exact cause of the outbreak.
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Lettuce sourced from a Taylor Farms farm in Mexico was recalled in July.
Warren accused the Trump administration of not being transparent about information related to the outbreak.
“It remains unclear to what extent the apparent intervention by Taylor Farms delayed the public announcement, or resulted in changes to its content — and the confusion from Trump administration officials only continued,” Warren said.
Cyclosporiasis is a foodborne illness caused by a microscopic parasite. People usually become infected through contaminated food or water, especially fresh produce. According to Scripps News medical expert Dr. Omer Awan, the parasite is commonly linked to lettuce, basil and other leafy vegetables.
Earlier this week, the CDC reported nearly 14,000 cases, a number that continues to grow.
According to data obtained by OpenSecrets, Taylor Fresh Foods Inc., the parent company of Taylor Farms, made more than $1.2 million in political contributions, almost entirely to GOP-backed campaigns and groups, during the 2024 campaign cycle. Its largest donation was a $500,000 contribution to Americans for Prosperity Action, a group that largely backs conservative candidates.
Federal Election Commission data also shows the company made a $1 million donation to MAGA Inc. in March 2025, a group closely aligned with President Donald Trump. The company also contributed $1 million in 2025 to CLF, a political action committee that supports Republican congressional candidates.
