The Biden administration is bringing in baby formula from Mexico as the nationwide shortage grows worse with ten states now being 90 percent out of stock of the infant food, according to the Daily Mail.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Friday, June 3, that Nestle's facility in Mexico will send in about 1.3 million cans - or nearly 33 million full-size, 8-ounce bottles - of Gerber Good Start Gentle general formula beginning in July through the month of October.
The federal agency said in a statement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is evaluating options for getting the products to the United States as quickly as possible. The FDA worked to make it easier for baby formula to be imported from other countries.
U.S. forced to import formula after Abbott closes Michigan plant
The United States typically produces 98 percent of the formula it uses but imports were needed after a nationwide shortage was triggered by the closure of Abbott Nutrition's plant in Sturgis, Michigan back in February. Abbott, one of the biggest manufacturers in the U.S., closed the facility after bacterial contamination was discovered in the plant, according to the Associated Press.
Recent data showed the baby formula shortage is getting worse across the United States. According to data from Datasembly, out-of-stock rates climbed to 74 percent nationally for the week ending May 28. That is up 4 percent from the week before.
Additionally, 10 states now have out-of-stock rates at 90 percent or greater, including California, Nevada, Tennessee, Florida, Washington, Arizona, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and Louisiana. Georgia is the hardest hit state at 94 percent, up from 74 percent the week before.
The Biden administration is tackling the formula crisis full throttle but White House officials are struggling to answer the question why President Biden was not made aware of the problem until two months after it started.
In a meeting with formula makers at the White House on Wednesday, executives told Biden they knew as soon as Abbott's Michigan plant closed in February that there would be a nationwide shortage.
Biden questioned about his administration's slow response to shortage
Their comments raised questions about why the president and his administration did not act faster to get more baby formula produced and onto store shelves. Abbott's plant closure resulted in bare grocery store shelves, a major hike in formula prices, and frantic parents worrying about feeding their kids.
Biden defended his administration's response, though, saying after the meeting that they 'kicked everything into gear' when they knew how bad the formula problem was. CNN reported that Biden thinks they are on the way to be able to completely solve the problem.
When asked by reporters why the administration did not act sooner, given the executives' warnings, Biden said he did not know about it. Biden revealed he first learned of the issue back in April, saying "They did, but I didn't."
