Formula Production Restarted in the US

MEASURES ANNOUNCED TO SOLVE SHORTAGE OF MILK FOR BABIES 

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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President Biden took new steps to supply the market in the face of an unprecedented shortage of infant formula in the United States. The president invoked a law dating back to the Cold War to accelerate the production of baby formula in the United States, the White House explained. The law that Biden invoked is the so-called “Defense Production Act”, which dates back to the start of the Korean War in 1950 and allows the US president to mobilize resources from the private sector through the Pentagon to respond to certain situations. 

Specifically, this action will force companies that manufacture the ingredients of the milk preparation to prioritize those clients who are dedicated to manufacturing the final product. At the same time, the president authorized the Department of Defense to use its contracts with commercial airlines to import powdered milk from anywhere in the world in what the White House dubbed Operation Airlift Baby Milk, or “Operation FlyFormula”. 

Abbott exacerbated the shortage 

In recent weeks, finding powdered baby formula has been a challenge for parents in different states of the country. The shortage was caused by global supply problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and difficulties at the production plant that Abbott, the main manufacturer of infant formula in the US, has in Sturgis, Michigan. Inventory problems worsened in February when Abbott recalled formula coming out of its Michigan plant. 

In particular, the product that was marketed under the Similac, Alimentum and EleCare brands was withdrawn, after four babies suffered a bacterial infection and two of them died. Abbott reached an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to soon reopen its plant in Michigan. From the time Abbot resumes production at Sturgis, it would take “six to eight weeks” to stock supermarket shelves with the baby product. 

 “We know that millions of parents and caregivers depend on us and we deeply apologize that our voluntary recall worsened the national formula shortage,” said Abbott Chief Executive Officer Robert Ford. While that deal materializes, the company said it will continue to import the product into the US from its plant in Cootehill, Ireland. Ford reiterated that the CDC has found no conclusive evidence that his formula is linked to the infants’ conditions. 

Nestle’s contribution 

The Swiss food multinational company Nestlé reported that it sent supplies of baby formula to the United States, from its production plants in Switzerland and the Netherlands. This is the company’s contribution to help alleviate the shortage of these products. A spokesman for the Vevey firm indicated that Gerber brand milk has been shipped from the Dutch factories and Alfamino from the Swiss country. 

“We have prioritized these two products for their significant medical value as they target babies with allergies to cow’s milk proteins,” the Nestle source added. These products are being shipped quickly since they were previously imported from the United States. The firm added that it will try to increase its collaboration taking advantage of the commitment of the US authorities to give greater flexibility to the entry of these products. 

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