Memorandums From the President on Shipments of Agricultural Commodities to the Soviet Union

Memorandum for the Secretary of Commerce

I hereby direct that you, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and other appropriate officials, take immediate action under the Export Administration Act to terminate shipments of agricultural commodities and products, including wheat and corn, to the Soviet Union. Export licenses should be granted, however, to the extent necessary to permit shipments to continue up to the 8,000,000 metric tons of wheat and corn per year covered by Article 1 of the 1975 Agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union on the Supply of Grain. I am taking this action in the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. I have determined in accordance with the Export Administration Act that the absence of controls would be detrimental to those interests and that alternative courses of action would not comparably advance them.

JIMMY CARTER

Memorandum for the Secretary of Agriculture

I have today directed the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with you and other appropriate officials, to take immediate action under the Export Administration Act to terminate shipments of agricultural commodities and products, including wheat and corn, to the Soviet Union. The Secretary of Commerce shall, however, grant export licenses to the extent necessary to permit shipments to continue up to the 8,000,000 metric tons of wheat and corn per year covered by Article I of the 1975 Agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union on the Supply of Grain. I am taking this action in the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.

I hereby direct that you take the necessary actions, through commodity purchases, and through the price support and grain reserve programs, to protect America's farmers from the impact of this unanticipated action. These steps are designed to remove supplies from the market in order to assure that price levels will not be unduly affected.

JIMMY CARTER