The third shipment of foreign-produced infant formula will soon be on its way to the U.S. under “Operation Fly Formula,” the White House announced Wednesday.
United Airlines agreed to fly more than 300,000 pounds of Kendamil infant formula from London’s Heathrow Airport beginning June 9, the White House said.
Kendamil said they will export up to 2 million cans of formula, which is the equivalent of 54 million 8-ounce bottles in total to the U.S. The formula is expected to be available for sale by U.S. retailers nationwide in the following weeks.
The formula shortage has vexed American parents for months, compounding the other crisis confronting President Biden such as inflation and soaring gas prices.
Mr. Biden is scheduled to meet virtually with major formula manufacturers later Wednesday as he continues to scramble to address the shortage.
The administration stood up Operation Fly Formula to streamline foreign formula imports and announced the program in mid-May along with invoking the defense production act to stem the ongoing formula shortage.
Under the program, the Health and Human Services and Agriculture departments use Pentagon-contracted commercial aircraft to pick up overseas infant formula that meets U.S. health and safety standards.
The flights announced Wednesday will be the first to be donated by an airline carrier.
The move lets the carriers bypass regular air-freight routes, which the White House says will speed up final delivery to store shelves.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the imports last week.
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
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