Abbott Nutrition is on strike with the FDA to restart factory amid baby formula shortages

The Abbott Nutrition plant, which has been linked to the baby formula shortage, has reached an agreement to resume operations within two weeks, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Abbott signed a consent decree with the FDA on Monday that, if court-approved, outlines the steps the company must take to resume production at its Michigan factory.

It is the largest US baby formula manufacturing facility and has been closed since February after complaints of a bacterial infection in four hospitalized infants, two of whom died.

Across the country, parents are now struggling to find baby formula and shelves are empty due to a combination of product recalls, supply chain issues and labor shortages.

The company has said there is no connection to its products and could resume production within two weeks, but that it would take “six to eight weeks” for this product to hit its shelves.

“Our top priority is providing infants and families with the quality infant formula they need, and this is an important step in reopening our Sturgis facility so we can alleviate the nationwide infant formula shortage,” said Robert B. Ford , Chairman and Managing Officer of Abbott.

“We know millions of parents and caregivers depend on us, and we are deeply sorry that our voluntary recall has exacerbated the nationwide infant formula shortage.”

FDA chief Dr. Robert Califf said Monday he doesn’t expect the shortage to continue until the end of the year.

“We assume that it will by no means last until the end of the year. We’re taking a number of actions, including asking to support all manufacturers,” he said.