(Reuters) – President Joe Biden said on Friday that the first shipments of baby formula from Europe to help with a critical shortage in the U.S. should start arriving this weekend. This comes as his administration has been criticized for how it has handled the problem.
On Twitter (NYSE: TWTR), the first military cargo plane flights for “Operation Fly Formula” meant that “up to 1.5 million bottles of safe Nestlé infant formula will be on U.S. shelves as soon as possible.”
The top maker of baby formula, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), recalled all of its products on February 17 while the Food and Drug Administration looked into them. This has caused one of the most urgent food shortages in recent U.S. history.
Biden said this week that he would increase supplies by using the Defense Production Act.
“Today, Operation Fly Formula’s first flights were given the green light by the Secretary of Defense.” Due to the urgency of the situation, U.S. military planes will be used for these flights, which will leave Ramstein Air Base in Germany this weekend, “Kate Berner, who is in charge of communications for the White House, said on Twitter.”
“132 pallets of Nestlé Health Science Alfamino Infant and Alfamino Junior formula will be taken to Indianapolis, IN on these flights.” “These formulas were put at the top of the list because they are medically important and are hard to find in the US because a plant closed,” “Berner wrote.
According to U.S. customs data and an analysis of ocean cargo data by shipping consultancy Ocean Audit for Reuters, Aptamil maker Danone SA (OTC: DANOY) has increased shipments of infant formula from Europe to fill a shortage in the U.S.
