Operation Fly Formula: 3 more shipments to arrive in US
FILE – Baby formula is displayed on the shelves of a grocery store in Carmel, Ind. on May 10, 2022. A bill introduced early June, 2022, would require the Food and Drug Administration to inspect infant formula facilities every six months. U.S. regulators have historically inspected baby formula plants at least once a year, but they did not inspect any of the three biggest manufacturers in 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
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(NewsNation) — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that three more Operation Fly Formula missions are going to be conducted this weekend in a continued effort to combat an ongoing baby formula shortage.
The largest shipment is a truck convoy of Gerber formula coming from Mexico. That shipment alone will bring 1 million pounds, or the equivalent of about 16 million 8-ounce bottles, of formula into the U.S.
The White House said additional formula will arrive from Australia and Germany, who will send more formula from Nestlé. This delivery will include over 110,000 pounds of Nestlé SupremePro 2 formula, the equivalent of approximately 1.65 million 8-ounce bottles.
The news comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced another investigation into the death of an infant who died, possibly related to Abbott Laboratories baby formula.
In February, Abbott closed its Michigan plant and recalled its products following reports of bacterial infections in four infants, two of which died. This closure was center to the nationwide baby formula shortage.
An Abbott spokesman said that at this time, there is no evidence to suggest a causal relationship between Abbott’s formulas and this newly reported case.
Abbott reopened its plant earlier this month, but was forced to close down a second time after an unexpected thunderstorm flooded its facilities. The company said it needs time to assess the damage and re-sanitize the factory after the storm.
Last month, the FDA moved to ease federal import regulations to allow baby formula to be shipped to the U.S., and Biden authorized the use of the Defense Production Act to provide federal support to move formula from overseas into the U.S.
The White House says that by June 26, Operation Fly Formula will have brought 32 flights and almost 19 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents of infant formula into the U.S.
FILE – Baby formula is displayed on the shelves of a grocery store in Carmel, Ind. on May 10, 2022. A bill introduced early June, 2022, would require the Food and Drug Administration to inspect infant formula facilities every six months. U.S. regulators have historically inspected baby formula plants at least once a year, but they did not inspect any of the three biggest manufacturers in 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) 
A can of Toddler Nutritional Drink is shown on a shelf in a grocery store, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) 
Cans of infant formula are shown at a home, Friday, June 17, 2022, in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
