Reading Room Document

Imposition of Agricultural Export Controls Under § 5 of the Export Administration Act of 1979

Export of agricultural commodities can be restrained under the national security controls of § 5 of the Export Administration Act of 1979 only if the exports in question constitute "a significant contribution to the military potential" of the importing country. Whether grain exports will contribute significantly to the military potential of the Soviet Union is a question of fact for the President to determine. The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21826/download.

January 17, 1980