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                                                  EXHIBIT 5

                                             March 25, 1999

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
4666 Faries Parkway
Decatur, Illinois 62526

Gentlemen:

     In connection with the proposed registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by Archer-Daniels-Midland
Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), of 5,500,000
shares of Common Stock of the Company, without par value (the
"Shares"), proposed to be issued under the Employee Stock
Ownership Plan for Salaried Employees and the Employee Stock
Ownership Plan for Hourly Employees (collectively, the
"Plans"), I have examined such corporate records and other
documents, including the Registration Statement of the Company
on Form S-8 to which this opinion is an exhibit relating to the
Shares (the "Registration Statement"), and have reviewed such
matters of law as I have deemed necessary for this opinion, and
I advise you that in my opinion:

     1.   The Company is a corporation duly organized and
existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

     2.  All necessary corporate action on the part of the
Company has been taken to authorize the issuance and sale of
the Shares and that, when issued, delivered and paid for as
contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Plans, the
Shares will be legally and validly issued and fully paid and
non-assessable.

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                   Very truly yours,


                                   /s/ D. J. Smith
                                   D. J. Smith
                                   Vice President, Secretary
                                   and General Counsel
                                   Archer-Daniels-Midland
Company


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