78,000 pounds of infant formula arrives in US

Indianapolis May 23 (BNA): A military plane carrying enough baby formula for more than half a million baby bottles arrived Sunday in Indianapolis, the first of several expected flights from Europe aimed at alleviating shortages that have prompted parents to seek It is enough. to feed their children.

President Joe Biden authorized the use of Air Force aircraft for this effort, which he called “Operation Flying Formula,” because there were no commercial flights available.

White House press secretary Karen-Jean-Pierre told reporters on Air Force One while Biden was on his way from South Korea to Japan, that the recipe weighed 78,000 pounds (35,380 kilograms).

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Indianapolis to welcome the arrival of the first shipment.

The flights are intended to provide “some additional comfort in the coming days” as the government works on a more permanent response to the shortages, Brian Dees, director of the White House National Economic Council, said Sunday.

Dess told CNN’s State of the Union that Sunday’s flight brought in 15% of the specialized medical-grade formula required in the US, and due to various measures the government has taken, people should see “more formulas in stores starting this week.” .”

In the long run, he said, the US needs more formula providers “so that an individual company doesn’t have that much control over supply chains.”

Later Sunday, the White House announced the first two authorizations from the Defense Production of Infant Formula Act, both coming from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Manufacturer Abbott Nutrition can now receive priority orders for raw materials such as sugar and corn syrup for infant formula, which the White House said would allow the manufacturer to rapidly increase production by a third.

The White House said Reckitt, owner of Mead Johnson, can now take priority orders for consumables such as filters and other single-use products needed to produce certain oils essential for infant formula production, which will allow Reckitt’s facilities to operate at maximum capacity.

FKN