In Indiana, there is an ongoing shortage and a military aircraft brought over 70,000lb formula.
US Secretary Tom Vilsack said that the US military had flown a C-17 airplane loaded with 31,000kg (70,000 lb) of Swiss Nestle infant formula from Germany to Indianapolis. The shipment is part of Operation Fly Formula, the Biden administration’s new program aimed at addressing the massive baby formula shortage currently gripping the US.
Speaking to reporters at Indianapolis International Airport, Vilsack praised the delivery, which he said could “Take care of 18,000 toddlers and 9,000 babies for one week.” A total of 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles of formula are expected to arrive in the next week.
The US Food and Drug Administration announced it would temporarily allow imports of baby formula from foreign producers on Monday in an effort to ameliorate the shortage, which kicked into high gear in February after already-extant Covid-19 supply chain issues were compounded by bacterial contamination at the country’s largest formula maker, Abbott Labs.
In an attempt to increase the supply of the ingredients required to make the formula, the Biden administration also invoked The Defense Production Act.
Although the Department of Justice and Abbott have reached an agreement to fix the contamination problems, the FDA has yet to give the green light for the company to resume production. It is likely that it will take between eight and 10 weeks to correct the domestic shortage.
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The price of the valuable commodity has also increased, with its cost rising as high as 18% last year according to CBS News. Inflation has been at an all-time high in the US. Food items, as well as commodities such gasoline, are being sold for much higher prices this year than last.
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