President Biden Announces Thirteenth Operation Fly Formula Mission

Biden Administration will facilitate air shipment of approximately 6.2 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents of Reckitt Mead Johnson Enfamil Stage 1 infant formula base powder July 12, 14, and 19

Today, President Biden is announcing that his Administration is sourcing a flight, facilitated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for Operation Fly Formula to transport Reckitt Mead Johnson infant formula base powder from Singapore to Chicago, Illinois via flights on July 12, 14, and 19.This delivery will include over 418,000 pounds of Reckitt Mead Johnson Enfamil Stage 1 infant formula base, the equivalent of approximately 6.2 million 8-ounce bottles. Upon its arrival, this powder will be transferred to a Wanamingo, MN facility for conversion to final product that will be made available in the coming weeks. The product will be available at national and regional retailers.  

In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the agency is exercising enforcement discretion so that Reckitt Mead Johnson can export additional infant formula into the U.S. By mid-July, Reckitt Mead Johnson plans to bring approximately 66 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents of Enfamil Stage 1 infant formula base powder into the U.S. market.

President Biden launched Operation Fly Formula to speed up the import of infant formula and start getting more formula to stores as soon as possible. Under Operation Fly Formula, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Department of Defense (DOD) are partnering to pick up overseas infant formula that meets U.S. health and safety standards, so it can get to store shelves faster. By July 3, Operation Fly Formula will have transported more than 37.2 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents to the U.S.

In addition, the Biden Administration has taken a number of other important actions to ensure there is enough safe infant formula for families, including invoking the Defense Production Act, entering into a consent agreement between the FDA and Abbott Nutrition to reopen the company’s Sturgis facility, and issuing FDA guidance so that major formula manufacturers can safely import formula that is not currently being produced for the U.S. market. Details of our actions can be found at whitehouse.gov/formula.

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