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May 11, 2022

Anna Murray 

Numerous parents have been impacted by the current baby formula shortage in the United States, which has reached historic proportions and has been growing since mid-2021. The infant formula shortage is the result of a combination of supply chain issues and a recent recall by Abbott Nutrition, which owns many infant formula brands, according to the Infant Nutrition Council of America. 

Four children became ill and two died after drinking Abbott Nutrition's powdered formula made in one Michigan facility, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. On February 17, Abbott issued a proactive, voluntary recall for powder formulas manufactured in Sturgis, Michigan, one of the company's manufacturing facilities, which included Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare.

For months, baby formula has been in short supply in stores across the country. The problem of out-of-stock baby formula began to worsen in early April, reaching a peak of 31%. Manufacturers claim to be operating at full capacity and producing as much formula as possible, but this is insufficient to meet current demand. A nationwide shortage of baby formula has harmed local families and rendered some infants ill. 

The National WIC Association (NWA) in the United States provides formula to nearly 1.2 million newborns. More than half of the NWA agencies in the United States rely solely on Abbott. Abbott announced on May 7 that it is collaborating with the FDA to reopen its Michigan facility.