While those trade limitations are important, the welfare state is the biggest driver of market concentration. Via the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, the federal government buys about half of all infant formula used in America—and, in administering the program, each state contracts with just one producer.
If federal legislators really want to prevent future shortages, the answer is less government, not more.
sj_zero@lotide.fbxl.net 1 year ago
From where I'm standing, baby formula seems like something every single milk producer ought to be able to easily produce. It's just UHT pasteurized cow's milk with a vitamin supplement added. It should cost 1/10th of what it does based on the base ingredients and the complexity of manufacturing.
masterofballs@wolfballs.com 1 year ago
Its the testing and certification that is expensive. If a baby dies you lose millions of dollars. No one wants that liability.