Parents dealing with the baby formula shortage are finally getting some relief. The first shipment of Operation Fly Formula – tipping the scales at 78-thousand pounds – arrived in Indianapolis yesterday aboard a military cargo plane from Germany. That delivery is the equivalent of more than a million-and-a-half eight-ounce bottles.
Another shipment of baby formula is set to arrive in the US on Wednesday. It's not yet clear how much infant formula will be brought over on the second flight, but it comes as the White House is announced its first two Defense Production Act authorizations to address the nation's baby formula shortage.
- The move allows top baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories to receive priority orders of raw materials so they can increase production by more than a third.
- A second formula maker, Reckitt, can now receive priority orders of consumables like single-use products like filters needed to produce formula and can operate at maximum capacity.
President Biden in a tweet said he will continue to identify opportunities to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase formula production.
Doug talked about the special delivery this morning.