Baby Formula

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the Abbott Laboratories infant formula plant in Michigan that was shut down for months last year due to contamination, the company confirmed. The factory's closure in February 2022 contributed to a nationwide baby formula shortage that forced parents to seek formula from food banks, friends and doctor's offices.

The Food and Drug Administration rattled off 15 reasons behind the national baby formula shortage, but couldn't identify a specific person or agency responsible.

Today, a conversation about the aggressive legal tactics that helped an infant formula company win lawsuits against the families of sick children.Also, we talked with Danny Fenster—the Michigan journalist who spent nearly six months in a Myanmar prison. Plus, the effort to get Michigan's Indigenous history and culture into classrooms.

Today on Stateside, a new report highlights how candidates preferred by Black voters are unlikely to win primary elections due to redistricting. Then, Plowshares Theatre producing artistic director talks about future of live theatre after the pandemic. Also, the shutdown of the Abbott baby formula factory that kicked off a nationwide shortage stemmed from an incident with a stun gun. Finally, two treaties made by the US could lead to drastically different outcomes for Line 5.

The FDA says the investigation "is in its preliminary stages," and previous investigations have not found a clear link between these other infant deaths and the product produced at Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, Mich., plant.

Abbott Nutrition says it's pausing production of its EleCare formula for weeks due to storm damage in the plant.

On today's show, we discussed the recent firing of the Grand Rapids Police Officer who killed Patrick Lyoya, as well as the continuing baby formula shortage in Michigan. Then, a paleontologist talked about all things mastodons, and an education reporter gave an update on changing curriculum. Plus, an update on the Woodward Bar and Grill, which recently burned in a fire