South Korea's CJ CheilJedang Corp has signed an agreement with U.S. grain giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) to establish a joint venture targeting the feed-grade amino acid market in the Americas. CJ BioAmerica will hold a 63% stake and ADM 37%, with both companies contributing production facilities and business assets. The deal aims to combine CJ CheilJedang's fermentation technology with ADM's grain supply chain and logistics, pending regulatory approval.
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is investing $55.5 million to repurpose an underutilised fermentation facility in Clinton, Iowa, into a precision fermentation operation, with Iowa state authorities approving $2.23 million in tax credits to support the project. The conversion is expected to expand ADM's capacity to produce high-value proteins and enzymes for food, feed, and industrial markets.
A stronger US dollar, rising exchange stocks, and weather-driven supply concerns across key producing regions pushed soft commodity futures lower on 23 September 2026, according to ADM Investor Services (ADMIS). Cotton, coffee, and cocoa all faced headwinds, while sugar held gains amid broad output concerns linked to El Niño and ethanol demand in Brazil.
ADM plans to enter the voluntary carbon removal market using credits from its corn processing complex in Columbus, Nebraska, which captures more than 800,000 tonnes of biogenic CO₂ per year. The credits will be certified by Puro.earth and are expected to be among the largest offerings of their kind, with initial issuance targeted by end of 2026.
