Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has joined 18 other governors in calling for President Joe Biden to act to end the baby formula shortage.
“When parents can’t get the formula needed to feed their babies, our supply chain is truly broken!” Reeves wrote in a Facebook post.
In a letter sent to Biden on Thursday, Reeves and other governors outlined steps they believe the president should take to address the nationwide baby formula shortage:
- Suspend red tape that limits the importation of formula from foreign countries
- Suspend all tariffs, quotas, and similar trade restrictions on infant formula until the crisis is abated
- Update FDA labeling standards on foreign formula
- Bring forward structural changes to the WIC program
- Order an independent and transparent after-action report of past FDA recall orders
“As governors, we are committed to protecting the life, health, safety, and welfare of our citizens, especially our vulnerable infant population,” the letter reads. “The supply chain for essential goods is broken, and while we have a vested interest in promoting free commerce amongst our states, a crisis that risks the lives of our youngest demands immediate, decisive, and robust action.”
Last week, Biden invoked the Defense Production Act, which allows the government further control over industrial production during emergencies, in an attempt to alleviate formula shortages.
The out-of-stock rate for baby formula has risen to 70% nationwide, according to Datasembly.
To read the full letter from the governors to President Biden, click here.
