In 1920 the US Department of Justice brought suit against the National Linseed Oil Trust for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. Several co-defendants were named, including the Archer-Daniels Manufacturing Company. The suit alleged all of these companies were acting in collusion to raise prices, citing a spike in linseed oil costs between 1916 and 1918, when the price rose from $.50 per gallon to $1.80.[19]

Price fixing Edit

In 1993, the company was the subject of a lysine price-fixing investigation by the U.S. Justice Department. Senior ADM executives were indicted on criminal charges for engaging in price-fixing within the international lysine market. Three of ADM's top officials, including vice chairman Michael Andreas were eventually sentenced to federal prison in 1999. Moreover, in 1997, the company was fined $100 million, the largest antitrust fine in U.S. history at the time.[20] Mark Whitacre, FBI informant and whistleblower of the lysine price-fixing conspiracy, would also find himself in legal trouble for embezzling money from ADM during his time as an informant for the FBI. In addition, according to ADM's 2005 annual report, a settlement was reached under which ADM paid $400 million in 2005 to settle a class action antitrust suit.[21]

The Informant is a nonfiction thriller book [22] that documents the mid-1990s lysine price-fixing conspiracy case and the involvement of ADM executive Mark Whitacre. The book was adapted into the 2009 film The Informant!.

Violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Edit

On December 20, 2013 the SEC announced that it had charged ADM for failing to prevent illicit payments (bribes) made by its foreign subsidiaries to Ukrainian government officials in violation of the FCPA. ADM agreed to pay more than $36 million to settle the SEC's charges.[23]

Environmental record Edit

The company has been the subject of several major federal lawsuits related to air pollution. In 2001, it agreed to pay a $1.46 million fine for violating federal and Illinois clean-air regulations at its Decatur feed plant and to spend $1.6 million to reduce air pollution there.[24] In 2003, the company settled federal air pollution complaints related to the its efforts to avoid New Source Review provisions of the Clean Air Act that require pollution control upgrades when a plant is modernized. The company paid $4.5 million in penalties and more than $6 million to support environmental projects. In addition, ADM agreed to eliminate more than 60,000 tons of emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, organic volatile chemicals and other pollutants from 42 plants in 17 states at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.[25]

ADM is involved in a joint project with Daimler AG and Bayer CropScience to develop jatropha as a biofuel.[26]

In an attempt to reduce its carbon footprint, the company has partnered with the Midwest Geological Sequestration Association and other organizations to test the disposal of carbon dioxide emissions underground. If testing is successful, beginning in late 2010 the company expected to dispose of 1,000 metric tons per day of carbon dioxide emissions currently being released to the atmosphere.[27]

Agricultural subsidies Edit

The company lobbies for agricultural subsidies and price supports including sugar and ethanol. According to a 1995 report by the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, "ADM has cost the American economy billions of dollars since 1980 and has indirectly cost Americans tens of billions of dollars in higher prices and higher taxes over that same period. At least 43 percent of ADM's annual profits are from products heavily subsidized or protected by the American government. Moreover, every $1 of profits earned by ADM's corn sweetener operation costs consumers $10, and every $1 of profits earned by its bioethanol operation costs taxpayers $30."[28]

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2353840&forum_id=2:#30196883)

something about that ".."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2353840&forum_id=2:#30196885)

The poast by Boom, dated September 3, 2013, titled "Archer Daniels Midlands Company… did this to me" and containing only a link to the Wikipedia page for Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), is emblematic of Boom's style and broader narrative within the AutoAdmit community. This poast has generated a long thread of responses over several years, indicating its continued relevance and impact on the board.

Implications and Analysis

Vagueness and Ambiguity: The poast's minimalist nature, providing just a title and a link, leaves much to interpretation and fuels speculation among other poasters. The lack of explicit detail forces readers to project their interpretations onto the statement. This ambiguity is a strategic move that keeps the thread alive, as various community members attempt to decode its meaning or derive personal relevance from it.

Connection to ADM's History of Controversies: By linking to the Wikipedia page of ADM, Boom may be implying a direct or symbolic connection between himself and the company’s history of alleged misconduct, including price-fixing, corruption, environmental violations, and other ethical breaches. Given ADM's notorious past, including high-profile scandals like the lysine price-fixing conspiracy and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Boom's reference suggests that he sees himself as having been wronged or impacted by these types of corporate behaviors. The exact nature of this impact is left unexplained, allowing for a wide range of interpretations — from financial loss or business dealings gone wrong to more abstract notions of betrayal or exploitation by large, faceless entities.

Reinforcing the Victim Narrative: The poast builds upon Boom's recurring narrative of victimization by larger forces, whether corporations, societal structures, or other entities. The choice of ADM, a corporation with a well-documented history of dubious practices, aligns with Boom's self-portrayal as someone who has been systematically wronged or marginalized by powerful entities. This poast can be viewed as another chapter in a long-running storyline where Boom frames himself as a perpetual victim of external malfeasance or conspiracy.

Role of the Replies in Sustaining the Narrative: The numerous replies, some as recent as September 2024, reflect how this poast has become a sort of "lore" within AutoAdmit. The varied responses range from simple acknowledgments, questions, expressions of sympathy, and humor, to more detailed examinations of ADM's historical controversies. For example:

"plum ladyboy" and others provide no content, potentially indicating either bewilderment or a desire to bump the thread to keep it in the communal consciousness.

"Beady-eyed deep sweet tailpipe" and "Sickened travel guidebook dopamine" express concern or curiosity, asking if Boom has received "just compensation" or what exactly ADM "did" to him, playing into the idea that Boom has suffered a personal grievance.

"Fishy hissy fit sanctuary" and other poasters delve deeper into ADM's history, citing examples of the company's past wrongdoings, perhaps to draw parallels with Boom’s unspecified claim of harm.

Cultivating a Mythos: By creating a poast that is cryptic and draws from a deep well of real-world corporate scandal, Boom effectively cultivates a mythos around his persona. The repeated bumps and replies over the years indicate that the community finds something compelling in the idea that a massive corporation like ADM could somehow be entangled with an individual like Boom. This ambiguity keeps the thread alive, as each reply renews interest and draws others into the speculative game of understanding what "ADM did to Boom."

Echoes of Paranoia and Conspiracy: The ongoing discussion can also be seen as reflecting a common theme on AutoAdmit — a fascination with conspiracies, paranoia, and hidden connections. Many poasters on the thread appear to take Boom's statement seriously, or at least engage with it as if there might be a kernel of truth behind the hyperbole or mystery. The persistent references to ADM’s various controversies, coupled with Boom's enigmatic framing, feed into the board's broader taste for unraveling supposed hidden truths and constructing elaborate theories.

Mainlining’s Role in Amplifying the Theme: Mainlining’s recent engagement with the thread — "Mainlining the $ecret truth of the univer$e" — adds a layer of continuity and connection to Boom's original narrative. Mainlining's involvement reinforces the link between these two poasters, both of whom are known for their cryptic, layered content that often blurs the line between reality and performance art. Mainlining's recent poasts about ADM also serve to amplify Boom’s original grievance, as if they are part of a coordinated storytelling effort that continues to weave these themes together across multiple threads and over long periods.

Implications for the AutoAdmit Community: This thread's longevity and continued engagement suggest that the AutoAdmit community thrives on these kinds of open-ended narratives that invite speculation, humor, and debate. The poast by Boom has become more than just a statement; it’s a communal touchstone that members of the community return to, perhaps as a form of shared storytelling or collective memory. It speaks to the board's culture, where the lines between serious discussion, satire, conspiracy, and fiction are intentionally blurred.

Conclusion

Boom's poast, "Archer Daniels Midlands Company… did this to me," serves as a quintessential example of AutoAdmit’s culture: it is ambiguous, provocative, and built to endure through continued community engagement. The poast plays into Boom’s established narrative as a victim of larger forces, while also inviting deeper reflection on corporate malfeasance and systemic injustices. Its reception and the ongoing thread demonstrate how even the simplest posts can become rich, multifaceted narratives that evolve over time, drawing in various poasters and expanding upon broader community themes of paranoia, humor, and resistance to perceived power structures.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2353840&forum_id=2:#48071840)