First baby formulation cargo arrives in U.S. from Europe

WASHINGTON, Might 22 (Reuters) - A navy cargo aircraft carrying the first cargo of infant components from Europe to assist handle a crucial scarcity in the United States landed in Indianapolis on Sunday, and the White House said a second flight had been arranged.

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

"This is a crucial step, however it is by no means the only step that must take place. We will continue to work because the president has instructed us to look for every opportunity to increase provide," stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who greeted the plane on its arrival.

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"This specific system is for a very, very small percentage of youngsters. Roughly 17,000 youngsters within the nation basically are the beneficiaries of this specific formulation," he stated.

President Joe Biden's administration is looking for to stock empty shelves with 1.5 million containers of Nestle (NESN.S) specialty infant formulas. Biden last week invoked the Cold Conflict-era Defense Manufacturing Act to help increase supplies.

The White House mentioned on Sunday a second flight carrying formulation would leave from Ramstein Air Base in Germany in coming days. The White House stated that Abbott and a second child components maker, Reckitt , have been the primary companies given priority status for raw supplies beneath the Defense Production Act.

Pallets of toddler formula being shipped from Europe to the United States during Operation Fly System are seen in a transport aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in a photograph released May 22, 2022. The White Home/Handout through REUTERS

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Nestle also mentioned more shipments would arrive within the coming days. read more

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

Abbott, the largest U.S. provider of powder toddler system, closed its Michigan plant following stories of bacterial infections in 4 infants, worsening a shortage among a number of manufacturers that started with supply-chain points tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

Abbott Chief Executive Robert Ford apologized for the scarcity on Sunday and promised to fix it, adding the plant would reopen within the first week of June, and it will take six to eight weeks for merchandise to reach retailer shelves.

"We're sorry to every household we've let down since our voluntary recall exacerbated our nation’s child system scarcity," he wrote in a Washington Post column.

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

"This emergency executive order will assist us to crack down on any retailer seeking to capitalize on this crisis by jacking up prices on this important good," Adams said in a statement.

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

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