As a general matter, U.S. sanctions under E.O. 14404 are not focused on disrupting the delivery of food, medicine, or medical devices to Cuba. The U.S. government does not intend to target non-U.S. persons under E.O. 14404 for engaging in transactions related to the provision, directly or indirectly, of agricultural commodities, including food, as well as medicine, medical devices, replacement parts and components for medical devices, and software updates for medical devices, to Cuba. This non-targeting posture includes those described humanitarian-related transactions that involve a person designated pursuant to E.O. 14404, or entities in which such persons own, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, a 50 percent or greater interest.

Consistent with humanitarian authorizations related to agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for other sanctions programs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), OFAC interprets those terms for purposes of E.O. 14404 as follows:

Agricultural commodities: Agricultural commodities are products that fall within the term "agricultural commodity" as defined in section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602) and are intended for use as:

• Food for humans (including raw, processed, and packaged foods; live animals; vitamins and minerals; food additives or supplements; and water) or animals (including animal feeds);
• Seeds for food crops;
• Fertilizers or organic fertilizers; or
• Reproductive materials (such as live animals, fertilized eggs, embryos, and semen) for the production of food animals.

Medicine: Medicine is an item that falls within the definition of the term "drug" in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).

Medical devices: A medical device is an item that falls within the definition of "device" in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).

Any U.S. person involvement in such transactions must comply with authorizations and requirements in Cuba-related General License (GL) 1. See FAQ 1253 for additional information on GL 1. As of August 2026, the U.S. government is working to operationalize $100 million in humanitarian assistance directly to the Cuban people, delivered through independent organizations operating under appropriate authorizations, including those operating as contractors or grantees on official U.S. government business.

For non-U.S. persons engaged in humanitarian-related activity that may fall outside the scope outlined in this Frequently Asked Question, OFAC considers requests on a case-by-case basis, prioritizing those requests that are related to humanitarian activity. Non-U.S. persons may contact the OFAC Compliance Hotline with additional information.