Formula shortage impacts River Valley families and nonprofits

Widespread baby formula shortages have hit home, impacting families and nonprofits serving those in need across the Arkansas River Valley.

As a foster parent and someone who works with families in crisis, Marie Robinson has witnessed firsthand the impact of the formula shortage.

Robinson is the community coordinator at Zero to Three for the Safe Babies Court Team in Sebastian County Circuit Court under Judge Shannon Blatt. She works in conjunction with 100 Families, an initiative to help families find stability through community resources and connections.

“As a foster parent … I’ve seen people looking for specific formulas, especially if the baby doesn’t tolerate the formula that WIC provides,” Robinson said.

“That’s been drastically impacting a lot of the babies around the area,” she said. “It’s really upsetting their tummies, so they’re more fussy, they’re not able to sleep as great (and) they’re not able to have that bonding time with their parents if they’re hungry or they’re not feeling great … It can affect their overall life and development.”

Recalls of formula due to potential contamination from a foodborne pathogen and the shutdown of a factory where baby formula producer Abbott produced products in Sturgis, Michigan, earlier this year were factors in the current shortage.

Abbott announced Monday that it had reached a deal with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to work toward reopening the Michigan factory.

After the factory meets the initial requirements for start-up, the site could begin production within two weeks, a statement from Abbott read.

“The company would begin production of EleCare®, Alimentum® and metabolic formulas first and then begin production of Similac® and other formulas,” part of the statement read. “From the time Abbott restarts the site, it will take six to eight weeks before product is available on shelves.”

More than 40% of formula brands were out of stock across the county as of May 8, according to Datasembly, which tracks retailer data.

Bryan Mader, extension professor and health specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said in a release that there are multiple factors behind the shortage, not just the recall.

The overbuying of formula in the early stages of the pandemic, increasing numbers of new mothers that use formula, and strict guidelines the U.S. Food and Drug Administration places on the health and safety of formula also increased the demand.

“This puts an increasing amount of pressure on the supply of infant formula, further pushing the availability and access to formula away from those who are trying to find it,” Mader said in the release.

The need for formula and other infant care items, like diapers, continues to rise. At the same time, donations to nonprofits continue to shrink as store shelves sit empty.

Small community organizations are feeling the squeeze from both sides, like Diaper Dandies, a ministry of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Fort Smith.

Mary Huss, the committee chair of Diaper Dandies, said the shortage places yet another burden on families contending with rising costs and stagnant wages.

The widespread shortage impacts infants from a variety of households, including those with dietary restrictions like allergies or special dietary needs resulting from premature birth.

“We’re talking about the most vulnerable human beings in our society, and we can’t feed them,” Huss said.

The shortage also hits low-income families especially hard, including households receiving benefits from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children program.

Nearly 4,000 participants receive WIC benefits in Sebastian County, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

The White House issued a statement May 12 with President Biden’s plan to address the shortage, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging states to allow families to use their WIC benefits on a wider variety of products.

The White House is also calling on the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to address price gouging and unfair market practices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also working to increase formula imports from other countries.

Mader recommended that families contact their child’s pediatrician first, look at using alternative brands as long as they are not switching from cow milk protein-based formula to a soy-based type without consulting their pediatrician, and search for smaller stores like family-owned pharmacies and convenience stores.

Robinson encourages community members to look out for families in need, even if donating is not possible. For example, she’s seen families post on social media when stores have restocked their shelves.

“Even just sharing information that, so they know when (the formula is) in and can go get it,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Baby formula shortage impacts families in Fort Smith