Formula from Europe comes to the rescue

WASHINGTON－A United States military plane bringing several tons of much-needed baby formula from Germany landed on Sunday at an airport in Indiana as authorities scramble to address a critical shortage.

The scarcity of medical-grade baby formula caused by production problems and supply chain issues has created grave problems for thousands of parents whose infants rely on it, sending them into frantic searches for the product.

A Feb 17 recall by top baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories and the closing of its Michigan manufacturing plant during an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration has created one of the biggest infant formula shortages in recent history.

The cargo plane took off from the US air base at Ramstein, Germany. The White House said 78,000 pounds (35,000 kg) of specialty infant formula had arrived on the flight.

"This is an important step, but it is by no means the only step that must take place. We will continue to work as the president has instructed us to look for every opportunity to increase supply," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who greeted the plane on its arrival.

US President Joe Biden's administration is seeking to stock empty shelves with 1.5 million containers of Nestle specialty infant formulas. Biden invoked the Defense Production Act last week to help increase supplies.

The White House said on Sunday that a second flight carrying formula would leave from Ramstein Air Base in the coming days.

Troops used forklifts to unload boxes from the plane in Indianapolis and onto trucks heading to distribution centers.

The first shipment will cover about 15 percent of the immediate need, presidential economics adviser Brian Deese told CNN.

The formula was flown to Indiana because it is a hub for Nestle, a major domestic producer. It will be quality tested at a nearby lab before being distributed.

Shortage for months

The formula shortage has been developing for months, aggravated not only by supply chain issues linked to COVID-19 but also by the closing of the largest US formula-making plant, a Michigan factory owned by Abbott, amid concerns that contamination may have led to the deaths of two infants.

"We had a manufacturer that wasn't following the rules, and that was making formula that had the risk of making babies sick," Deese said. "So we have to take action."

Another problem was that US formula production had become concentrated among just three companies.

"We're going to have to work" on ways to increase competition, Deese added.

Abbott's CEO Robert Ford apologized to consumers in a Washington Post op-ed on Sunday, saying: "We're sorry to every family we've let down since our voluntary recall exacerbated our nation's baby formula shortage."

US regulators and Abbott Nutrition hope to have its Michigan plant reopened next week, but it will take about two months before the product is ready for delivery. The Food and Drug Administration this week eased importation requirements for baby formula to try to ease the supply crunch, which has left store shelves void of some brands and some retailers rationing supplies for parents nervous about feeding their children.

Agencies Via Xinhua