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Biden says first shipments of baby formula flying in from Europe this weekend

Published 05/20/2022, 09:34 PM
Updated 05/21/2022, 03:55 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Empty shelves show a shortage of baby formula at CVS in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. May 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal/File Photo

(Reuters) - The first shipments of infant formula from Europe to address a critical shortage in the United States should begin arriving this weekend, President Joe Biden said on Friday amid criticism of his administration's handling of the issue.

Biden said on Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) the initial military cargo plane flights under "Operation Fly Formula" meant that "up to 1.5 million bottles of safe Nestlé infant formula will be coming to U.S. shelves as soon as possible."

A Feb. 17 recall by top baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) during an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration has created one of the most urgent food shortages in recent history for U.S. families.

Biden this week said he was invoking the Defense Production Act to increase supplies.

"The Secretary of Defense ordered today the first flights supporting Operation Fly Formula. Due to the urgency of the situation, these flights will comprise U.S. military aircraft and will depart Ramstein Air Base in Germany this weekend," White House Communications Director Kate Berner said on Twitter.

"The flights will transport 132 pallets of Nestlé Health Science Alfamino Infant and Alfamino Junior formula to Indianapolis, IN. These formulas have been prioritized because they serve a critical medical purpose and are in short supply in the US because of the plant closure," Berner wrote.

Aptamil maker Danone SA (OTC:DANOY) has stepped up shipments of infant formula from Europe to address a shortage in the United States, according to U.S customs data and an analysis of ocean cargo data by shipping consultancy Ocean Audit for Reuters.

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Latest comments

Standard air freight would have been a lot cheaper. But, Brandon had to flex his muscle and ship baby food by military aircraft. It was a very technical & tactical mission. F16's flew on wing.
Brandon all way one step behind.
The difference between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans see no role for government in solving problems. Democrats understand that, one in a while, the free market stumbles and government can step in to limit human suffering. Glad we have Democrats in charge to fix this free market problem.
 You. You said it's free market that needs government interventionism (socialism). Who cares which political party intervenes? It's a global problem anyway. All governments around the world have made policy mistakes after policy mistakes and we start to reap the fruits of that right now. They ignite problems to later put them out and people like you applaud them.
Nope. Only in they eyes of an anarchist or a fool would either of the main parties in the United States' capitalist democratic republic look like socialism.
 I'm sorry but clearly you don't know what you are talking about so you have to resort to personal invectives instead of arguments. I don't have too much time to argue with people who haven't even made an effort to read a wikipedia article but consider this - how can anyone call a system "capitalist" if capital is not being controlled by private owners but rather government who can transfer it at will from one entity to another? Cheers my friend.
cool so when the military plane leaves US for Europe it carries weapons for Ukraine and then the way back it picks up baby formula. win win
Sadly this is one of many ****ups this administration has caused.
Handle the issue? this guy can't handle the diapers he literally has on. our country has been hijacked.
sad to see Americans can't find baby food in America but have to import it. WHY not import barbies along with baby formula? Will save Americans the trouble of producing babies?
nice to see a leader that cares about kids, not one that separates them from their mothers and put them in cages. best president in years! not perfect but sane.
Obama was the one building the cages at southern border and Biden put more illegal immigrants kids in the cages during covid time.
 Whoah, you're expecting to convice a lib of the truth? Most suffer from cognitive dissonance. Good luck!
The Republican view of the world is that they can't stand to see anybody who isn't as miserable as they are.
This guy can’t even feed the babies- complete failure. Who voted for him?? War - yes- stock market crash yes- 20 % inflation - yes has 200 % higher - yes Major violet crime out of control -yes Liberals do this every single time in America. Who voted for him?? Shame on your ignorance
Democrats create the crisis, and then ride to the rescue on the private sector's back. Trash.
The private sector caused the problem: allowed a baby formula factory to get contaminated with salmonila. Get your facts straight.
What? Let me see if I have this nutty idea correct: people invested in private prisons have the power to control, not just guns, not just drugs and not just booze, but all three; and this mighty cabal chooses to push these into inner cities so that their private prison stock will go up? Wow! What an evil plan.
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