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To: Editor                                              From: Investor Relations
                                                       (314) 812-0590


     Agribrands Announces Record Date and Special Shareholders Meeting Date

St. Louis,  Missouri,  March 7,  2001...Agribrands  International,  Inc. has set
March 16, 2001 as the record date to determine  shareholders eligible to vote at
the Special  Meeting of  Shareholders  seeking  approval of the proposed  merger
among Agribrands,  Abacus Acquisition Corp., a Cargill subsidiary,  and Cargill,
Inc. The Special  Meeting of  Shareholders is scheduled to be held at 10:00 a.m.
on  Thursday,  April 26,  2001 at the  offices of  Agribrands,  9811 South Forty
Drive, St. Louis, Missouri.

Agribrands  expects to mail its proxy  materials to  shareholders  by the end of
March, 2001.

Information and financial reports about Agribrands are filed with the Securities
and Exchange  Commission and are available free at the website maintained by the
SEC at: www.sec.gov.

Agribrands  is  a  leading  international   manufacturer  of  animal  feeds  and
agricultural products.