Exhibit 5.1
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
2200 Wells Fargo Center
90 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
+1 612 766 7000 main
+1 612 766 1600 fax
September 10, 2021
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
77 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation of (i) a Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-240250 (the “Registration Statement”), of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the proposed offer and sale from time to time of the securities referred to therein; and (ii) the Prospectus Supplement dated September 7, 2021 (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to the Prospectus dated July 31, 2020 (the “Prospectus”), relating to the offer and sale by the Company under the Registration Statement of $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2.700% Notes due 2051 (the “Notes”). The Notes are to be issued under the Indenture dated as of October 16, 2012 (the “Indenture”) entered into by the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement dated September 7, 2021 between the Company and the Underwriters named therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”).
We have examined or are otherwise familiar with the Composite Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, the Bylaws of the Company, as amended, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture, copies of the global notes evidencing the Notes, and such other documents, records and instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Notes have been duly authorized and, when duly executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Notes will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms subject to (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, voidable transactions, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, assignment for the benefit of creditors and other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith, fair dealing, and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies, whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity and (iii) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States.