Relieve milk stress, US imports European formula milk

American soldiers move milk Recipes for children on the C-17 Globemaster III military aircraft taking off from an airbase in Germany on May 22 – Photo: REUTERS

According to the US White House, the country’s military aircraft carried about 35 tons milk powder landed at the airport in Indiana on May 22, local time. As soon as the plane landed, milk was loaded onto trucks to be taken to distribution centers.

“Our team works continuously to get formula milk to those in need,” US President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter while on a visit to Japan. Mr. Biden also confirmed further shipments will arrive in the US within days.

Present in Indiana to pick up the shipment, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack affirmed: “This is an important step, but not the only one. We will continue to work at the direction of the president to find everyone. opportunity to increase supply”.

According to the White House, the first shipment will help solve 15% of the current US milk powder needs.

The Biden administration plans to extinguish the domestic milk powder crisis with milk imported from Nestle in Europe. He also activated the Defense Production Act to boost the supply of baby formula, in order to alleviate shortages across the country.

An empty baby formula stall in Washington, USA on May 22 – Photo: AFP

The US faced a shortage of infant formula when the country’s largest dairy company Abbott closed its factory in Sturgis, Michigan due to bacterial contamination, and before that supply chain problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic. .

In February 2022, Abbott recalled brands of formula produced at the factory after four infants who consumed products manufactured there fell ill with bacterial infections, two of which died.

“We have a non-compliant manufacturer that makes milk that puts children at risk. So we have to take action,” said Brian Deese, economic adviser to the US president. On May 22, Abbott also apologized for contributing to the crisis and said it would take about 6-8 weeks from the reopening of the factory in early June 2022 to bring goods back to the market. .