Here's why you might see Gov. Mike DeWine if you're shopping at Cincinnati's Downtown Kroger today

Gov. Mike DeWine will speak today at Kroger's Downtown store about the state's response to the national infant formula shortage.

The governor's Cincinnati appearance follows the federal government's granting of two waiver requests that offer low-income mothers more flexibility when selecting baby formula.

The waivers apply to participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, commonly known as WIC, which has strict guidelines about how much and what brand of formula mothers can get for their babies.

To bypass these restrictions amidst the national shortage, the Ohio Department of Health applied for two waivers on May 18. The first allows parents to receive larger containers and different forms of baby formula, and the second allows mothers to receive a different brand of formula without needing to provide a note from their baby's pediatrician.

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Both waivers were granted by the Biden administration that same day, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

A third waiver allowing stores to exchange recalled formula purchased with WIC benefits was approved for Ohio in February.

According to the White House, about half of infant formula in the country is purchased using WIC benefits. Ohio's WIC program is the ninth-largest in the U.S., according to the Ohio Health Department.

The USDA granted the flexibilities in response to the shortage in February. Ohio was one of the last states to apply for the new waivers, according to the federal agency.

DeWine is up for reelection this fall for a second term, running against former Dayton mayor Nan Whaley.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to address baby formula shortage in Cincinnati