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               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                    Washington, D.C. 20549


                         FORM 8-K

                            CURRENT REPORT

              PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 12,
1996

                 ARCHER-DANIELS-MIDLAND COMPANY
        (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


       Delaware                1-44                  41-0129150
    (State or other          (Commission          (I.R.S. Employer
     jurisdiction       File Number)         Identification No.)
     of incorporation)



                      4666 Faries Parkway
                       Decatur, Illinois           62526
         (Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
217/424-5200

                                Not Applicable
        (Former name or former address, if changed since last
report)

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Item 5.  Other Events

     ADM confirms that it is participating in an agreement to
settle the federal class action lawsuits filed against several
companies involving the sale of lysine.  Without admitting to
any of the conduct alleged, but to avoid the enormous
uncontrollable costs of protracted litigation, ADM has agreed
with other companies to contribute to a settlement fund.  ADM's
contribution to the settlement fund would be $25 million.  The
settlement covers all of the federal class action suits with
respect to the sale of lysine.  This settlement would not
resolve any lawsuits filed in state court by direct and
indirect purchasers of lysine.  Formal papers seeking court
approval of the settlement were filed in the United States
District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on April
12, 1996.




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                           SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                              ARCHER-DANIELS-MIDLAND COMPANY


                              ______________________________
                               R. P. Reising
                               Vice President, Secretary and
                                  General Counsel

Dated: April 16, 1996

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