First baby formula shipment arrives in U.S. from Europe

WASHINGTON, Might 22 (Reuters) - A military cargo plane carrying the first cargo of infant formulation from Europe to help address a essential shortage in the US landed in Indianapolis on Sunday, and the White House said a second flight had been organized.

A Feb. 17 recall by high baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N) and the closing of its manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michigan during an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has created one of many biggest toddler system shortages in recent historical past for U.S. families.

"This is a crucial step, but it's by no means the one step that must happen. We'll proceed to work as the president has instructed us to search for each opportunity to increase provide," stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who greeted the plane on its arrival.

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"This specific method is for a very, very small percentage of kids. Roughly 17,000 youngsters within the country mainly are the beneficiaries of this specific formula," he said.

President Joe Biden's administration is looking for to inventory empty shelves with 1.5 million containers of Nestle (NESN.S) specialty toddler formulation. Biden final week invoked the Cold Battle-era Protection Production Act to assist enhance provides.

The White House mentioned on Sunday a second flight carrying system would depart from Ramstein Air Base in Germany in coming days. The White Home said that Abbott and a second child components maker, Reckitt , were the primary corporations given priority status for uncooked provides underneath the Defense Production Act.

Pallets of toddler components being shipped from Europe to the USA throughout Operation Fly System are seen in a transport plane at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in a photograph released Could 22, 2022. The White House/Handout by way of REUTERS

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Nestle also said more shipments would arrive in the coming days. read more

Troops used forklifts to unload packing containers of the cargo from the plane in Indianapolis and onto vans heading to distribution centers.The White Home said 78,000 pounds (35,000 kg) of specialty toddler method - sufficient for 500,000 bottles - had arrived on the flight.

Abbott, the most important U.S. provider of powder toddler components, closed its Michigan plant following reports of bacterial infections in four infants, worsening a shortage among a number of manufacturers that started with supply-chain issues tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

Abbott Chief Executive Robert Ford apologized for the shortage on Sunday and promised to repair it, adding the plant would reopen within the first week of June, and it would take six to eight weeks for products to succeed in retailer shelves.

"We're sorry to every family we've let down since our voluntary recall exacerbated our nation’s baby method shortage," he wrote in a Washington Put up column.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday declared a state of emergency to stop value gouging of child formula.

"This emergency executive order will help us to crack down on any retailer looking to capitalize on this crisis by jacking up prices on this important good," Adams stated in a press release.

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Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Chris Gallagher, further reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in Davos, Switzerland, Barbara Goldberg in New York and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Ross Colvin, Invoice Berkrot, Chris Reese and Paul Simao

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