ADM Reports First Quarter 2012.5 Results

Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today reported financial
results for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012. The company reported net
earnings for the quarter of $182 million, or $0.28 per share, down from
$0.68 per share in the same period one year earlier. Adjusted earnings
per share¹ were $0.50, primarily reflecting a $0.16 charge
related to ADM′s planned divestment of Gruma. Segment operating profit¹
was $498 million, including a $146 million charge related to Gruma.

'Our first-quarter segment results were mixed,? said ADM Chairman and
CEO Patricia Woertz. 'Oilseeds performance was strong, the ethanol
industry experienced sustained negative margins, and Agricultural
Services managed well through a complicated quarter, challenged by the
drought.

'During the first quarter, we focused on actions that will improve
returns. We made progress in our ongoing portfolio management efforts.
And I′m proud of our efforts and the results of our work to reduce costs
and capital.

'As we look ahead to 2013, we are bringing online our large Paraguay
soybean processing plant as South American farmers are responding to
market conditions with record plantings, and we are implementing plans
to navigate the tight U.S. crop supply.

'Longer-term, we remain optimistic as we see continued growth in global
demand for protein meal and other agricultural products. We continue to
execute our strategy, aligning our business to serve rising demand from
customers around the world.?

First Quarter 2012.5 Financial Highlights

• 
  Adjusted EPS of $0.50 excludes a Gruma-related charge of $0.16 per
  share and a LIFO charge of $0.05 per share.
  
• 
  Oilseeds Processing profit increased $116 million, with year-over-year
  improvements in our crushing and origination business in all regions.
  
• 
  Corn Processing profit decreased $115 million as continued negative
  ethanol margins more than offset improved results from sweeteners and
  starches.
  
• 
  Agricultural Services profit fell $99 million, excluding the Gruma
  charge, as smaller crops reduced U.S. merchandising and handling
  results.
  
• 
  On track to achieve $150 million in annual run-rate savings ahead of
  schedule.
  

Adjusted EPS of 50 Cents, down 8 Cents

Adjusted EPS decreased primarily due to lower segment operating profit.

This quarter′s effective tax rate was 38 percent and included special
factors. Excluding these items, the effective tax rate was 30 percent,
in line with last year′s first quarter.

Oilseeds Earnings Improve Across All Three Regions

Oilseeds operating profit in the first quarter was $336 million, up $116
million from the same period one year earlier.

Crushing and origination operating profit was $256 million, up $150
million from the year-ago quarter on strong improvements by all three
geographies. ADM′s U.S. soybean operations delivered very strong results
amid good U.S. demand and meal exports. In Europe, soybean and rapeseed
crushing earnings improved significantly.

Refining, packaging, biodiesel and other generated a profit of $28
million for the quarter, down $27 million, with steady results in North
and South America offset by weaker European biodiesel results.

Cocoa and other results increased $27 million. Weaker cocoa press
margins were offset by the absence of last year′s significant negative
mark-to-market impacts.

Oilseeds results in Asia for the quarter were down $34 million from the
prior year′s first quarter, principally reflecting ADM′s share of the
results from its equity investee Wilmar International Limited.

Corn Processing Results Weak on Continued Ethanol Industry Challenges

Corn processing operating profit was $68 million, a decrease of $115
million from the same period one year earlier.

Sweeteners and starches operating profit increased $64 million to $94
million, as tight sweetener industry capacity supported higher
year-over-year selling prices. The year-ago quarter′s results were
negatively impacted by higher net corn costs related to the timing
effects of economic hedges.

Bioproducts results in the quarter decreased $179 million to a loss of
$26 million. Weak U.S. ethanol exports, strong Brazilian imports and
slow E15 implementation kept industry margins negative.

Agricultural Services Down From Strong Prior-Year Results

Agricultural Services operating profit excluding the Gruma charge was
$224 million, down $99 million from the same period one year earlier.

Merchandising and handling earnings fell $101 million to $108 million,
mostly due to weaker U.S. merchandising results impacted by the smaller
U.S. harvest.

Transportation results decreased $9 million to $19 million impacted by
low barge freight utilization driven by reduced corn exports.

Milling and other results increased $11 million, excluding the Gruma
charge. Milling results remained strong, and ADM Alliance Nutrition saw
improved margins amid stronger demand.

Other Financial Results Improve

Operating profit from ADM′s Other Financial businesses was $16 million,
up $21 million, with improved results from captive insurance and ADM
Investor Services.

Conference Call Information

ADM will host a conference call and audio webcast Tuesday, Oct. 30,
2012, at 8 a.m. Central Time to discuss financial results and provide a
company update. A financial summary slide presentation will be available
to download approximately 60 minutes prior to the call.

To listen to the call via the Internet or to download the slide
presentation, go to www.adm.com/webcast.
To listen by telephone, dial (888) 522-5398 in the U.S. or (706)
902-2121 if calling from outside the U.S. The access code is 31529634.

A replay of the call will be available from Oct. 31, 2012 to Nov. 6,
2012. To listen to the replay by telephone, dial (855) 859-2056 in the
U.S. or (404) 537-3406 if calling from outside the U.S. The access code
is 31529634. To listen to the replay online, visit www.adm.com/webcast.

About ADM

For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company
(NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve vital needs.
Today, 30,000 ADM employees around the globe convert oilseeds, corn,
wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, industrial and
energy uses. With more than 270 processing plants, 420 crop procurement
facilities, and the world′s premier crop transportation network, ADM
helps connect the harvest to the home in more than 160 countries. For
more information about ADM and its products, visit www.adm.com.

Total segment operating profit is ADM′s consolidated income from
operations before income tax that excludes certain corporate items.
Management believes that segment operating profit is a useful measure of
ADM′s performance because it provides investors information about ADM′s
business unit performance excluding certain corporate overhead costs.
Total segment operating profit is a non-GAAP financial measure and is
not intended to replace earnings before income tax, the most directly
comparable GAAP financial measure. Total segment operating profit is not
a measure of consolidated operating results under U.S. GAAP and should
not be considered as an alternative to income before income taxes or any
other measure of consolidated operating results under U.S. GAAP.

(1) Beginning fourth quarter fiscal 2012, ADM realigned segment
operating profit to reflect a change in how the company manages its
businesses. As a result, ADM now reports Cocoa processing results as
part of a new category in Oilseeds called 'Cocoa and Other? and Milling
results in an Agricultural Services category called 'Milling and Other?.
In addition, beginning fourth quarter fiscal 2012, the company
discontinued the allocation of working capital interest to the operating
segments. Prior periods have been restated to conform to the current
period presentation.

Adjusted EPS is ADM′s fully diluted EPS after removal of the effect on
Reported EPS of certain specified items as more fully described above.
Management believes that Adjusted EPS is a useful measure of ADM′s
performance because it provides investors additional information about
ADM′s operations allowing better evaluation of ongoing business
performance. Adjusted EPS is a non-GAAP financial measure and is not
intended to replace or be an alternative to EPS, the most directly
comparable GAAP financial measure, or any other measures of operating
results under GAAP. Earnings amounts in the tables above have been
divided by the company′s diluted shares outstanding for each respective
quarter in order to arrive at an adjusted EPS amount for each specified
item.

¹ Non-GAAP financial measures, see pages 5 and 10 for
explanations and reconciliations

Archer Daniels Midland Company

Media Relations:

David
Weintraub, 217-424-5413

or

Investor Relations:

Ruth
Ann Wisener, 217-451-8286