Pursuant to Section 22 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, as amended, I have been advised by the Secretary of Agriculture, and I agree with him, that there is reason to believe that flue-, fire-, and dark air-cured tobacco and burley tobacco, in unmanufactured form, wherever classified in the Tariff Schedules of the United States, are practically certain to be imported under such conditions and in such quantities as to materially interfere with the price support and production adjustment programs for tobacco conducted by the Department of Agriculture.

The United States International Trade Commission is therefore directed to make an immediate investigation under Section 22 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, as amended, to have precedence over other investigations the Commission may be conducting, to determine whether the above-described articles are practically certain to be imported under such conditions and in such quantities as to materially interfere with the tobacco price support and production adjustment programs now conducted by the Department of Agriculture, and to report its findings and recommendations at the earliest practicable date.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan

[The Honorable Paula Stern, Chairwoman, United States International Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20436]

Note: The letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on September 10.