Between September 2021 and February 2022, the Food and Drug Administration received complaints that infants became ill and perished after consuming powdered baby formula. These formulas were eventually traced back to a large manufacturer in Sturgis, Michigan. After a stern warning from the FDA, the plant shut down and issued significant recalls. Other producers quickly followed their lead.
The result was a crippling baby formula shortage that lasted more than a year. As store shelves remained barren for months, parents took drastic, sometimes dangerous, actions to help their children. Some tried making homemade baby formula. Others rationed their supplies—which can lead
