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Supervisors probe whether San Francisco indirectly buys Taylor Farms products amid worker complaints
Summary
Supervisor Campos convened a procurement review after allegations of unsafe working conditions and labor‑law violations at Taylor Farms plants. The Office of Contract Administration found indirect purchases accounting for $19,827 (0.28%) of roughly $6.9 million in food buys; union and worker testimony urged the City to cut ties.
Supervisor David Campos opened Item 5 at the June 29 special meeting to examine whether the City and County of San Francisco purchases products from Taylor Farms amid complaints about labor and safety practices.
Campos described multiple complaints and enforcement actions involving Taylor Farms facilities (NLRB investigations, Cal/OSHA citations) and said "we as a city should have no business relationship whatsoever with this company," urging the Office of Contract Administration to report on any sourcing ties.
Whitney Bagby, principal analyst in the Office of Contract Administration, said the City investigated direct and indirect purchases from Taylor Farms and found that from July 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016 the City made roughly $6.9 million in food purchases and that $19,827 (about 0.28%) of that total went to products produced by Taylor Farms, procured indirectly through two primary vendors (US Foods Inc. and Sysco Food Services) that supply Laguna Honda Hospital, San Francisco General Hospital and Recreation & Parks.
Union representatives and Taylor Farms workers described plant conditions and cited Cal/OSHA citations, alleged retaliation against organizers, and other workplace harms. Mike Johnston of Teamsters Joint Council 7 and several current and former Taylor Farms employees urged the committee and City procurement staff to eliminate purchases from vendors sourcing from the Tracy plant and to use municipal leverage to press for better labor practices.
Worker Rafael Aguilar (Taylor Farms, Tracy) testified about intimidation and pay disparities for contingent workers at the Tracy plant and described a climate of fear among those seeking to organize. Teamsters attendees outlined recent regulatory actions against Taylor Farms in Tracy and related complaints.
The Office of Contract Administration said the City has no direct contract with Taylor Farms; the purchases identified were through intermediaries. Supervisor Campos said any indirect amount greater than zero is unacceptable and asked staff to pursue ways to reduce that exposure. The committee voted to continue Item 5 to the call of the chair to allow the Office of Contract Administration to provide further procurement detail and to explore policy responses.
Next steps: Office of Contract Administration to provide a more detailed mapping of vendor supply chains and to return with options for procurement policy or vendor restrictions.
