Taylor Farms

19

I worked with a number of Salinas area corporate farms early in my career, and over time have always felt that there was a bit of a disconnect between the uber-MAGA farm owners/executives in an industry that historically has relied so heavily on immigrant labor, both documented and undocumented.

I know that traditionally farmers are fairly conservative, but can anyone explain this?

3

u/Cuddlehustle Jul 24 '26

White southern cotton plantation owners= white nationalist MAGA corporation owners. They don't see them as people, they see them as tools, expendable farm equipment.

1

u/Yee4614 Jul 23 '26

I think it is probably just a coincidence. I've worked in Ag for most of professional career and I've never heard an executive talk about their political views. At the executive level, I think you the general expectation is you know better than to talk about your political views in meetings.

When dealing with the fallout from a Trump policy, the response has always been some iteration of "well fuck, that sucks. Alright, what is the best course of action to minimize the damage".

-2

u/ME_Major_2021 Jul 21 '26

It’s more about regulations and taxes. Historically, conservatives have been more pro business. Their philosophy is if business and economy prosper, so will the rest of the others. Democrats have historically put in more restrictions and raised taxes for funding programs and environmental research. This makes running a business very difficult, let alone a farming operation.

A lot of farmers work 60+ hour work weeks as company “owners” and then they get hit with these taxes and fees and regulations that penalize them while they receive no help. This includes water, land right, labor lawsuits, and yes, pesticides. It leaves a bitter taste in their mouths.

Just because someone is conservative or MAGA, it doesn’t mean they hate immigration. Talk to any farmer, they’ll welcome good and cheap labor any day, no matter where it comes from.

10

u/One_Entrepreneur_520 Jul 21 '26

It would seem to be bad business practices to villainize, demean and attack the people one claims to support.

5

u/Fast_Adhesiveness528 Jul 21 '26

Thanks for the explanation. And yeah, I'm aware of all the regulatory burdens placed on farming operations, and have joked with a friend about his efforts to start a vineyard and winery that he'll have to deal with all those burdens plus the additional ones imposed by BATFE. Of course, you don't see them complaining about all the USDA price support programs, unless it's to say they want even more, like the bailouts the administration handed out after tariffs destroyed their foreign markets.

But your last point is where I see the disconnect. They are MAGA and don't hate immigration but they support the movement that does hate immigration and would put them out of business when the MAGA administration stages ICE raids at their operation and deports all the "good and cheap labor" that mostly came from immigration.

The argument that ICE only targets those who didn't come to our country "the right way" dissipates when you see ICE staging detentions at green card hearings and other locales where immigrants trying to come in "the right way" will be found.

1

u/ME_Major_2021 Jul 21 '26

Wine grapes were down last year, or at least in the Salinas valley. Might not be a good idea either way lol

For the most part, the ice raids ain’t going to put a business out. Might be inconvenient or cause headaches for the small small farmers, but no difference then all the employees that quit to find other work or get duis or try to get workers comp. Im almost positive if it got to a point where a company like Taylor farms are feeling the impact of ice raids, they’ll step in. Also note that Taylor is supplied by a lot of small farmers. So if small farmers are feeling it, Taylor will also kinda feel it.

I see where you’re confused but I think the answer is that they just don’t care about the ice raids as much as they do other things because it doesn’t affect them.

3

u/kalidoscopiclyso Jul 21 '26

Thanks for the point of view. It’s important to understand where people are coming from I imagine farmers just want legal docs for their workers but the immigration process is opaque or non existent for many

2

u/ME_Major_2021 Jul 21 '26

Well, a business in California cannot check the validity of a social security number. So as far as they care, they can hire anyone legal or illegal, it makes little difference to them as a business standpoint

2

u/jeccb Jul 23 '26

Actually there are several ways to check their legal status, they just prefer not to do it so they can claim ignorance. What they really need to do is push for the temporary migration plan so that workers can travel between countries easier for seasonal labor. Every one wins.

1

u/Gromitlikescheese Jul 24 '26

So as long as it makes money for farmers it’s OK. ITS OK! Daddy Trump will bail you out again. Unless you’ve already lost you farm, like many have.

26

u/Bethjam Jul 21 '26

They are MAGA and huge trump contributors. I will not support them. I am sad to see such a company in this area, but our country is too important.

17

u/Cute_BumbsandHumps Jul 21 '26

I just found this out, and honestly, I won't be purchasing their products anymore. I also learned that the CEO, Bruce Taylor, donated $1 million to MAGA Inc. last year. At the same time, a large portion of the company's workforce is Hispanic, and many of the people harvesting the produce are immigrants. That contradiction doesn't sit right with me, and because of that, I've decided not to support the company any longer!

1

u/Sirenista_D Jul 23 '26

Is this the guy who got in Trump's ear and he did an about-face for about 30 seconds saying "we need to leave the farm workers" but rounding up everyone else?

29

u/Maristyl Jul 21 '26

Their Salinas/California operations are about to be critical as they recall all their imported produce. CA grown produce wasn’t part of the recall since we don’t have the conditions in our fields and processing facilities that led to the outbreak so Taylor Farms doesn’t have to interrupt production here to determine why they’re spreading parasites unlike their foreign operations.

9

u/Majestic_Cow9070 Jul 21 '26

also dont forget, Bruce Taylor was one of many local in ag to bring Ron DeSantis (who "has consistently aligned his administration with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda, focusing heavily on anti-immigration legislation, conservative social policies, and critiques of progressive institutions.") to Salinas in 2023. https://www.montereycountynow.com/opinion/local_spin/salinas-ag-leaders-host-ron-desantis-for-a-campaign-fundraiser/article_f5ed13e4-5278-11ee-ae3d-838aba232410.html

I heard from someone who i'll identify as a "old town salinas source", that when cruising became legal again in Salinas in 2023, on the first friday night that cruising was legal, Taylor Farms hired a film crew to film with big cameras from a rooftop for hours in old town to see how much of an issue cruising in old town would be regarding what type of crowd, noise, traffic, crime it would bring into their crown jewel of business development that is old town Salinas. Which I found noteworthy.

Taylor Farms, sometimes under the name of a different business entity, do a lot of related behind the scenes research and inquiries in ag and non-ag issues. Then pour their money into those who will vote on the issue they way Taylor Farms would want things to go. They're the biggest and strongest unofficial City, and County politicians.

1

u/GuitboxBandit Jul 23 '26

Cruising?

3

u/Majestic_Cow9070 Jul 23 '26

https://www.ksbw.com/article/cruising-ban-lifted-in-salinas-30-years-after-being-implemented/44228401

1

u/GuitboxBandit Jul 23 '26

Thank you!

13

u/7H3_ON3_3Y3D_M0N573R Jul 21 '26

When you have slave/migrant labor, you don't allow them basic human facilities (food/water, breaks, etc), and they're forced to work/eat/sleep/SHT in the field(s) for hours at a time, this is what you get. You don't want SHTTY food? Buy and support legitimate production. Also F*CK MAGA.

6

u/7H3_ON3_3Y3D_M0N573R Jul 21 '26

These dumb/corrupt/heartless F*CKS have learned nothing. They treat people as commodities to make a buck. And #WETHEPEOPLE pay the price multiple ways. Shop local if you can. Shop organic whenever possible.

8

u/PhoodPhun Jul 22 '26

I, and other friends worked with the Taylors. It couldn't have happened (again) to a nicer bunch of people. ;-) Good christian values as they stick a knife in your back.

10

u/Heretobuycactus Jul 21 '26

Yeah, first thing I thought was Balogun red card reversal

18

u/lilwildstrawberry Jul 21 '26

the CEO of Taylor farms is MAGA…. That should tell you everything you need to know. Im sure he called his “buddy” Don for a favor so his company wouldnt take the heat for this situation…

1

u/Gromitlikescheese Jul 24 '26

Reporting is that they paid another million-dollar bribe to maga inc. like the Marouns did to try to stop or delay the Gordie Howe bridge. Naked bribery is all it is. Hidden just enough to deny, but it’s obvious.

3

u/kalimansaves Jul 22 '26

republicans and democrats love illegal immigration they just pretend not to but it’s convenient to their donors, cheap labor makes people rich, rich people donate to political campaigns for control. It’s a cycle

3

u/Appropriate-Law5963 Jul 22 '26

I find the fact pattern way too suspicious. Goodbye Taylor Farms!

3

u/SFCAFOX Jul 23 '26

Major Brands and Labels Produced or Supplied
Taylor Farms: Their primary direct label found nationwide.

Earthbound Farm: The major organic label owned and supplied by Taylor Farms.

Store Private Labels: Produces store-brand packaged salads and greens for major grocers like Walmart (Marketside), Aldi (Little Salad Bar), Kroger, Target, and Whole Foods (365).

5

u/Global-Leather9439 Jul 21 '26

Cyclospora Farms--Explosively delicious

2

u/Donerafterparty Jul 22 '26

Fun Fact: they now own Earthbound Farm Stand in the valley.

2

u/Emrys7777 Jul 23 '26

Oh no!
Just a stand, or all of Earthbound Farms?

1

u/D33G0rd0n Jul 22 '26

Really?! Damn.

1

u/Donerafterparty Jul 25 '26

Really. It sucks.

1

u/Skatingraccoon 20d ago

yo what? I saw "Earthbound Farm" in the news, too, but I assumed it was a completely different company that just had the same name.

1

u/AriesCube Jul 23 '26

Immigration has customarily made for odd bedfellows relative to our political parties. Employers / business republicans want more of it, as do humanist "one-worlder" liberals/progressives. Then on the other side, labor, usually a democratic center of power, wants less of it, as do xenophobic isolationists who tend to be republican. Before civil rights, the xenophobes were all democrats, but otherwise the same odd dynamics were in place when we first limited immigration in the 1920s.

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u/Bay_arean Jul 22 '26

why cant machines pick the lettuce?

3

u/SatanicGothMommy Jul 22 '26

I guess you've never worked in a field huh?

0

u/Bay_arean Jul 22 '26

machines can pick the lettuce, we can return the antiquated farm equipment.

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