White House announces plans to resolve baby formula shortage

(Washington, D.C.) -- The Biden Administration is detailing their strategy to alleviate baby formula shortages on store shelves across the country.

The Department of Defense (DOD) says a second overseas flight to transport baby formula from Ramstein Air Base in Germany has been secured and scheduled for an undisclosed date. The flight, requested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Operation Fly Formula, will deliver 114 pallets of Gerber Good Start® Extensive HA infant formula. The second delivery is the remainder of an estimated 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles of Alfamino® Infant, Alfamino® Junior, and Gerber Good Start® Extensive HA. 

The USDA and Department of Health and Human Services will use DOD-contracted aircraft to continue the delivery of U.S. health and safety standard approved baby formula

In addition, The White House is using two Defense Production Act (DPA) authorizations for infant formula, which allow for formula manufacturers to have ingredient priority over other customers. President Joe Biden says the move will ensure manufacturers have the supplies and ingredients necessary to make formula in the U.S.. The White House says the closure of the Abbott Sturgis plant is the main cause of the formula shortage felt across the country, adding both Abbott Nutrition and Reckitt can order additional materials to bring them back to pre-pandemic output levels by dodging supply chain shortages through the DPA orders. 

You can learn more about Operation Fly Formula by clicking here, and about the Defense Production Act Authorizations by clicking here.