U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, sent a letter to Pres. Joe Biden this week urging him to address barriers that families in low-income, rural and underserved communities continue to face in accessing and affording infant formula.

What You Need To Know

  • Hirono told Biden that despite the administration’s steps to alleviate the nationwide formula shortage, migrant farmworker families and many other participants in the federal Women, Infants and Children program still struggle to get infant formula

  • Hirono asked that some of the formula being distributed via Operation Fly Formula be set aside and distributed to WIC vendors in underserved communities and there be outreach to inform participants how to access formula

  • WIC purchases cannot be made online; this means that participants have to find formula in brick-and-mortar stores that often experience shortages

  • Hirono highlighted the plight of migrant farmworker families who, in addition to facing time, financial and language barriers, often do not participate in federal food assistance programs due to ineligibility or fear of being denied green cards

Hirono told Biden that despite the administration’s steps to alleviate the nationwide formula shortage, migrant farmworker families and many other participants in the federal Women, Infants and Children program still struggle to obtain formula.

“No parent should have to worry about how to keep their child fed,” wrote Hirono in her letter. “In fiscal year 2020, 6.2 million participants were served each month by the WIC program, which included nearly 50 percent of all infants born in the United States. Many of these 6.2 million participants rely on the WIC program to cover formula expenses, which can total hundreds of dollars each month for one dependent.”

Hirono asked that some of the formula being distributed via Operation Fly Formula be set aside and distributed to WIC vendors in underserved communities and that there be outreach to inform participants how to access formula.

As Hirono noted, WIC purchases cannot be made online; this means that participants have to find formula in brick-and-mortar stores that often experience shortages.

“Many are forced to choose between driving hours to find formula that can be purchased with WIC benefits or paying high out-of-pocket prices online,” Hirono wrote.

Hirono highlighted the plight of migrant farmworker families who, in addition to facing time, financial and language barriers, often do not participate in federal food assistance programs due to ineligibility or fear of being denied green cards.

“Migrant farmworkers keep our nation fed,” Hirono wrote. “They should not be forced to worry about how to keep their own families fed.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.