First child components shipment arrives in U.S. from Europe

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - A navy cargo airplane carrying the first shipment of infant formula from Europe to help handle a vital scarcity in the US landed in Indianapolis on Sunday, and the White Home stated a second flight had been arranged.

A Feb. 17 recall by top child 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 the biggest toddler system shortages in current history for U.S. households.

"This is a crucial step, but it's on no account the one step that must take place. We are going to continue to work because the president has instructed us to look for every opportunity to extend supply," 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 proportion of kids. Roughly 17,000 kids within the country principally are the beneficiaries of this specific components," he said.

President Joe Biden's administration is seeking to stock empty shelves with 1.5 million containers of Nestle (NESN.S) specialty toddler formulas. Biden last week invoked the Cold Conflict-era Protection Production Act to assist improve provides.

The White House said on Sunday a second flight carrying formula would depart from Ramstein Air Base in Germany in coming days. The White Home stated that Abbott and a second baby components maker, Reckitt , were the primary companies given precedence standing for raw supplies underneath the Defense Manufacturing Act.

Pallets of infant formulation being shipped from Europe to the United States throughout Operation Fly Components are seen in a transport plane at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in a photograph released Might 22, 2022. The White Home/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 containers of the cargo from the plane in Indianapolis and onto vans heading to distribution centers.The White House said 78,000 pounds (35,000 kg) of specialty toddler method - enough for 500,000 bottles - had arrived on the flight.

Abbott, the largest U.S. provider of powder infant formula, closed its Michigan plant following experiences of bacterial infections in four infants, worsening a scarcity among multiple manufacturers that began with supply-chain issues tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

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

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

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday declared a state of emergency to forestall price gouging of baby formula.

"This emergency executive order will assist us to crack down on any retailer looking to capitalize on this disaster by jacking up costs on this important good," Adams mentioned in an announcement.

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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; Modifying by Ross Colvin, Invoice Berkrot, Chris Reese and Paul Simao

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