FARMLAND INDUSTRIES INC
S-3/A, 1996-02-16
MEAT PACKING PLANTS
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<PAGE>
 
   
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 16, 1996     
                                                    
                                                 REGISTRATION NO. 33-61709     
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
                               ---------------
                                
                             AMENDMENT NO. 1     
                                       
                                    TO     
                                   FORM S-3
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
 
                               ---------------
 
                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.
            (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
        KANSAS                     2011                  44-0209330
     (State or other         (Primary standard        (I.R.S. Employer
     jurisdiction of         industrial              Identification No.)
    incorporation or         classification code
      organization)          number)
 
                               ---------------
                         
                      3315 NORTH FARMLAND TRAFFICWAY     
                       KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64116-0005
                                (816) 459-6000
  (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code of
                   registrant's principal executive offices)
                                JOHN F. BERARDI
             EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.
                         
                      3315 NORTH FARMLAND TRAFFICWAY     
                       KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64116-0005
                                (816) 459-6000
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)
 
                               ---------------
 
                       COPIES OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO:
   
JAMES BRIDGES FARMLAND
 INDUSTRIES, INC. 3315
    NORTH FARMLAND
   TRAFFICWAY KANSAS
    CITY, MISSOURI
 64116-0005 (816) 459-
       6000     
   KENNETH R. BLACKMAN FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER & JACOBSON ONE NEW YORK
              PLAZA NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10004-1980 (212) 859-8000
                                                       JON R. LIND MCDERMOTT,
                                                        WILL & EMERY 227 WEST
                                                       MONROE STREET CHICAGO,
                                                         ILLINOIS 60606-5096
                                                           (312) 372-2000
                               ---------------
 
       APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
 From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement, as
                       determined by market conditions.
 
                               ---------------
 
  If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the
following box. [_]
  If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or
interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]
  If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [_]
  If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [_]
  If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [_]
       
                               ---------------
 
  THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS
REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION 8(A) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID
SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE.
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                
                             EXPLANATORY NOTE     
   
  THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 33-61709 CONTAINS (1) A
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT RELATING TO    % SENIOR NOTES DUE 2003, AND
(2) A PRELIMINARY BASE PROSPECTUS RELATING TO THE SECURITIES REGISTERED.     
<PAGE>
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A         +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE   +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY  +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT        +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS +
+SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY  +
+NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH    +
+OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR        +
+QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE.                    +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                 
              SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED FEBRUARY 16, 1996     
              
           PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO PROSPECTUS DATED     , 1996     
 
                                  $100,000,000
                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.
                            
                          % SENIOR NOTES DUE 2003     
 
                                  -----------
   
  Interest on the Senior Notes is payable            and           of each
year, commencing           , 1996. The Senior Notes are not redeemable prior to
maturity and do not provide for any sinking fund. The Senior Notes will be
represented by one or more Global Securities registered in the name of the
nominee of The Depository Trust Company. Beneficial interests in the Global
Securities will be shown on, and transfers thereof will be effected only
through, records maintained by DTC and its participants. Except as described
herein, Senior Notes in definitive form will not be issued. The Senior Notes
will be issued only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.
The Senior Notes will trade in DTC's Same-Day Funds Settlement System until
maturity, and secondary market trading activity for the Senior Notes will
therefore settle in immediately available funds. All payments of principal and
interest will be made by the Company in immediately available funds. See
"Description of the Senior Notes".     
 
  The Senior Notes are general unsecured and non-subordinated obligations of
the Company and rank on a parity in right of payment with all other unsecured
and non-subordinated indebtedness of the Company.
   
  The Senior Notes have been approved for listing on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol "FMLD 03", subject to official notice of issuance.
       
  SEE "RISK FACTORS" ON PAGE S-6 FOR A DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN RISK FACTORS THAT
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH AN INVESTMENT IN THE SENIOR NOTES.     
 
                                  -----------
 
THESE SECURITIES  HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED  OR DISAPPROVED BY THE  SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
 AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY  STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED  UPON THE
  ACCURACY OR  ADEQUACY OF  THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT  OR THE  PROSPECTUS TO
  WHICH  IT  RELATES.  ANY  REPRESENTATION  TO THE  CONTRARY  IS  A  CRIMINAL
   OFFENSE.
 
                                  -----------
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     INITIAL PUBLIC   UNDERWRITING  PROCEEDS TO
                                   OFFERING PRICE (1) DISCOUNT (2) COMPANY(1)(3)
                                   ------------------ ------------ -------------
<S>                                <C>                <C>          <C>
Per Senior Note...................           %               %             %
Total.............................        $               $             $
</TABLE>
- -----
   
(1) Plus accrued interest, if any, from     , 1996.     
   
(2) The Company has agreed to indemnify Goldman, Sachs & Co. against certain
    liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.     
   
(3) Before deducting estimated expenses of $700,000 payable by the Company.
        
                                  -----------
   
  The Senior Notes offered hereby are being offered by Goldman, Sachs & Co., as
specified herein, subject to receipt and acceptance by them and subject to
their right to reject any order in whole or in part. It is expected that the
Senior Notes will be ready for delivery in book-entry form only through the
facilities of DTC in New York, New York on or about     , 1996 against payment
therefor in immediately available funds.     
 
                              GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
                                  -----------
              
           The date of this Prospectus Supplement is     , 1996.     
<PAGE>
 
   
  IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF THE SENIOR NOTES, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY
OVER-ALLOT OR EFFECT TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE
OF THE SENIOR NOTES OFFERED HEREBY AT LEVELS ABOVE THOSE WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE
PREVAIL IN THE OPEN MARKET. SUCH TRANSACTIONS MAY BE EFFECTED ON THE NEW YORK
STOCK EXCHANGE OR OTHERWISE. SUCH STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE
DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.     
 
 
                                      S-2
<PAGE>
 
 
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
   
  The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information and financial statements appearing elsewhere or incorporated by
reference in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus. Unless
the context requires otherwise, (i) all references herein to "Farmland" or the
"Company" are to Farmland Industries, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries,
(ii) all references herein to "year" or "years" are to fiscal years ended
August 31, (iii) all references herein to "tons" are to United States short
tons, and (iv) all references herein to "membership" or "members" are to
persons eligible to receive patronage refunds from Farmland, i.e., Farmland's
voting members, associate members, and other persons ("patrons") with which
Farmland has a currently effective patronage refund agreement.     
 
                                  THE COMPANY
   
  Farmland is an agricultural farm supply and processing and marketing company
headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri that is owned primarily by its members
and operates on a cooperative basis. As of August 31, 1995, Farmland's
membership consisted of approximately 1,800 cooperative associations of farmers
and ranchers and 11,500 pork or beef producers or associations of such
producers. Founded originally in 1929, Farmland has grown from sales of
$310,000 during its first year of operation to over $7.2 billion during 1995.
       
  The Company is one of the largest cooperatives in the United States in terms
of revenues. The Company has endeavored to develop a significant presence in
international markets. In 1995, the Company had exports to approximately 70
countries, and derived 47% of its grain revenues from export sales or sales to
domestic customers for export. In 1995, the Company sold more than 2.5 million
tons of wheat to China, which management believes constituted the largest wheat
sale ever by a private U.S. enterprise to a foreign country. Substantially all
of the Company's foreign grain sales are denominated in U.S. Dollars.     
   
  The Company conducts business primarily in two operating areas: agricultural
inputs and outputs. On the input side of the agricultural industry, the Company
operates as a farm supply cooperative. On the output side of the agricultural
industry, the Company operates as a processing and marketing cooperative.     
   
  The Company's farm supply operations consist of three principal product
divisions--petroleum, crop production and feed. Principal products of the
petroleum division are refined fuels, propane, by-products of petroleum
refining and car, truck and tractor tires, batteries and accessories. Principal
products of the crop production division are nitrogen-, phosphate- and potash-
based fertilizers and, through the Company's ownership in WILFARM (a 50%-owned
venture formed in 1995) ("WILFARM"), insecticides, herbicides and other plant
protection products. Principal products of the feed division include swine,
dairy, pet, beef, poultry, mineral and specialty feeds, feed ingredients and
supplements, animal health products and livestock services. Over 50% of the
Company's farm supply products sold in 1995 was produced in plants owned by the
Company or operated by the Company under long-term lease arrangements.
Approximately 64% of the Company's farm supply products sold in 1995 was sold
at wholesale to farm cooperative associations which are members of Farmland.
These farm cooperatives distribute products primarily to farmers and ranchers
in states in the corn belt and the wheat belt who utilize the products in the
production of farm crops and livestock.     
   
  On the output side, the Company's processing and marketing operations include
the processing of pork and beef, the marketing of fresh pork, processed pork,
fresh beef and processed beef, and the storage and marketing of grain. In
December 1995, the Company, through a 79%-owned subsidiary, commenced
processing wheat into wheat gluten for use primarily in the commercial baking
and pet     
 
                                      S-3
<PAGE>
 
   
food industries and starch for numerous industrial purposes. The Company
anticipates that such wheat processing operations will be fully operational
during 1996. In 1995, approximately 68% of the hogs processed and 49% of the
grain marketed were supplied to the Company by its members. Substantially all
of the Company's pork and beef products sold in 1995 were processed in plants
owned by the Company.     
   
  No material part of the business of any segment of the Company is dependent
on a single customer or a few customers. Financial information about the
Company's industry segments is presented in Note 12 of the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 1995 (the "1995 Form 10-K"), which is
incorporated by reference in the accompanying Prospectus.     
   
  The Company competes for market share with numerous participants (including
other cooperatives) with various levels of vertical integration, product and
geographical diversification, sizes and types of operations. In the petroleum
industry, competitors include major oil companies, independent refiners, other
cooperatives and product brokers. Competitors in the crop production industry
include global producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers (some of which
are cooperatives) and product importers and brokers. The feed, grain, pork and
beef industries are comprised of a large variety of competitive participants.
       
  Farmland was formally incorporated in Kansas in 1931. Its principal executive
offices are at 3315 North Farmland Trafficway, Kansas City, Missouri 64116
(telephone 816-459-6000).     
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
<TABLE>   
<S>                        <C>
Securities Offered........ $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of  % Senior Notes Due
                           2003 (the "Senior Notes").
Maturity Date.............          , 2003. The Senior Notes are not redeemable prior to
                           maturity and do not provide for any sinking fund.
Interest Payment Dates....           and          , commencing          , 1996.
Ranking................... The Senior Notes are general unsecured and non-subordinated
                           obligations of the Company and rank on parity in right of
                           payment with all other unsecured and non-subordinated
                           indebtedness of the Company. As of November 30, 1995, after
                           giving effect to this offering, (i) the Company had
                           outstanding $573.5 million aggregate principal amount of non-
                           subordinated indebtedness, including the Senior Notes, (ii)
                           the Company had outstanding $300.0 million aggregate principal
                           amount of subordinated indebtedness, and (iii) certain of the
                           Company's subsidiaries had outstanding $125.1 million
                           aggregate principal amount of indebtedness, of which $119.1
                           million were nonrecourse to the Company.
Certain Covenants......... The Indenture (as defined below) under which the Senior Notes
                           are to be issued restricts, among other things, the ability of
                           the Company in certain circumstances (i) to incur liens on its
                           assets, (ii) to repay or purchase indebtedness of the Company
                           which is by its terms made subordinate or junior in the right
                           of payment to the Senior Notes or other indebtedness of the
                           Company, and (iii) to pay patronage refunds or to pay
                           dividends on its common shares or to purchase or redeem any of
                           its common shares or capital credits.
</TABLE>    
 
 
                                      S-4
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>   
<S>                        <C>
Use of Proceeds........... The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Senior
                           Notes offered hereby are estimated to be $   million. The
                           Company intends to use such net proceeds for general corporate
                           purposes. Pending such use, such net proceeds may be used
                           temporarily to repay short-term indebtedness.
Listing................... The Senior Notes have been approved for listing on the New
                           York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FMLD 03", subject to
                           official notice of issuance.
Book-Entry System......... The Senior Notes will be issued in the form of one or more
                           fully registered global securities (collectively, the "Global
                           Security") registered in the name of the nominee of The
                           Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). Except as described in this
                           Prospectus Supplement or the accompanying Prospectus,
                           beneficial interests in the Global Security will be shown on,
                           and transfers thereof will be effected only through, records
                           maintained by DTC and its participants. Except in limited
                           circumstances described in this Prospectus Supplement, owners
                           of beneficial interests in the Global Security will not be
                           entitled to have Senior Notes registered in their names, will
                           not receive or be entitled to receive Senior Notes in
                           definitive form and will not be considered holders thereof
                           under the Indenture. Senior Notes will be issued only in
                           denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.
</TABLE>    
 
                                      S-5
<PAGE>
 
                                 RISK FACTORS
 
  Prospective investors should consider carefully, in addition to the other
information contained in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying
Prospectus, the following risk factors before purchasing the Senior Notes
offered hereby.
 
INCOME TAX MATTERS
          
  On March 24, 1993, the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") issued a statutory
notice to Farmland asserting deficiencies in federal income taxes (exclusive
of statutory interest thereon) in the aggregate amount of $70.8 million. The
asserted deficiencies relate primarily to the Company's tax treatment of the
$237.2 million gain resulting from its sale, in July 1983, of the stock of
Terra Resources, Inc. ("Terra") and the IRS's contention that Farmland
incorrectly treated the Terra sale gain as income against which certain
patronage-sourced operating losses could be offset. The statutory notice
further asserts that, among other things, Farmland incorrectly characterized
for tax purposes gains aggregating approximately $14.6 million, and a loss of
approximately $2.3 million, from dispositions of certain other assets.     
   
  On June 11, 1993, Farmland filed a petition in the United States Tax Court
contesting the asserted deficiencies in their entirety. The case was tried on
June 13-15, 1995. The parties submitted post-trial briefs to the court on
September 14, 1995; reply briefs were submitted to the court on November 28,
1995, and Farmland is awaiting the court's decision.     
   
  If the United States Tax Court decides in favor of the IRS on all unresolved
issues raised in the statutory notice, Farmland would have additional federal
and state income tax liabilities aggregating approximately $85.8 million plus
accumulating statutory interest thereon (approximately $191.4 million, before
tax benefits of the interest deduction, through January 31, 1996), or $277.2
million in the aggregate at January 31, 1996. In addition, such a decision
would affect the computation of Farmland's taxable income for its 1989 tax
year and, as a result, could increase Farmland's federal and state income
taxes for that year by approximately $5.0 million plus applicable statutory
interest thereon. Finally, the additional federal and state income taxes and
accrued interest thereon, which would be owed based on an adverse decision,
would become immediately due and payable unless the Company appealed the
decision and posted the requisite bond to stay assessment and collection.     
   
  The liability resulting from an adverse decision would be charged to current
operations and would have a material adverse effect on the Company and may
adversely affect its ability to pay, when due, principal and interest on the
Senior Notes and the Company's other indebtedness. In order to pay any such
tax claim, the Company would have to consider new financing arrangements,
including the incurrence of additional indebtedness and the sale of assets.
Moreover, the Company would be required to renegotiate the Company's $650.0
million credit facility provided by ten domestic and international banking
institutions (the "Credit Agreement"), as well as other existing financing
agreements with certain other parties, not only to permit such new financing
arrangements, but also to cure events of default under the Credit Agreement
and certain of such other existing financing agreements and to maintain
compliance with various requirements of the Credit Agreement and such other
existing financing agreements, including working capital and funded
indebtedness provisions, in order to avoid default thereunder. No assurance
can be given that such financing arrangements or such renegotiation would be
successfully concluded. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations--Financial Condition, Liquidity and
Capital Resources".     
 
GENERAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE BUSINESS
 
  The Company's revenues, margins and net income depend, to a large extent, on
conditions in agriculture and may be volatile due to factors beyond the
Company's control, such as weather, crop failures, federal agricultural
programs, production efficiencies and U.S. imports and exports. In
 
                                      S-6
<PAGE>
 
   
addition, various federal and state regulations to protect the environment
encourage farmers to reduce the amount of fertilizer and other chemical
applications that they use. Global variables which affect supply, demand and
price of crude oil, refined fuels, natural gas and other commodities may
impact the Company's operations. Historically, changes in the costs of raw
materials used in the manufacture of the Company's finished products have not
necessarily resulted in corresponding changes in the prices at which such
products have been sold by the Company. Management cannot determine the extent
to which these factors may impact future operations of the Company. The
Company's cash flow and net income may continue to be volatile as conditions
affecting agriculture and markets for the Company's products change. See
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" herein and "Business" in the accompanying Prospectus.     
 
LIMITED ACCESS TO EQUITY CAPITAL MARKETS
   
  As a cooperative, the Company cannot sell its equity to traditional public
or private markets. Instead, equity is raised largely from cooperative voting
members, associate members and patrons. Increases in the balance of Farmland's
capital shares and equities result from its payment of the noncash portion of
patronage refunds (the allocated equity portion) to its members in the form of
common shares, associate member common shares and capital credits and from net
income on transactions with nonmembers (retained earnings). See "Business--
Patronage Refunds and Distribution of Net Earnings" and "Business--Allocated
Equity Redemption Plans" in the accompanying Prospectus.     
 
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
   
  The Company is subject to various stringent federal, state and local
environmental laws and regulations in the United States which regulate the
Company's petroleum operations, farm supply manufacturing and distribution
operations, its food processing and marketing operations and its grain
marketing operations, or which may impose liability for the cleanup of
environmental contamination. The Company has incurred and will continue to
incur substantial capital expenditures and operating costs related to these
laws and regulations. The Company cannot, however, predict the impact of new
or amended laws or regulations, nor can it predict with certainty how existing
laws and regulations will be enforced or interpreted. See "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations--
Matters Involving the Environment" herein and "Business--Matters Involving the
Environment" in the accompanying Prospectus.     
   
  Many of the Company's current and former facilities have been in operation
for many years and, over such time, the Company and other predecessor
operators of such facilities have generated, used, stored, or disposed of
substances or wastes that are or might be considered hazardous under
applicable environmental laws. As a result of such operations, the soil and
groundwater at or under certain of the Company's current and former facilities
have been contaminated. Material expenditures may be required by the Company
in the future to remediate contamination from past or future releases of
hazardous substances or wastes.     
   
  The Company wholly or jointly owns or operates 56 manufacturing properties
and has potential responsibility for environmental conditions at a number of
former manufacturing facilities and at waste disposal facilities operated by
third parties. The Company is investigating or remediating contamination at 28
properties. The Company has also been identified as a potentially responsible
party (a "PRP") under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA") at various National Priority List
sites and has unresolved liability with respect to the past disposal of
hazardous substances at five such sites. Such laws may impose joint and
several liability on certain statutory classes of persons for the costs of
investigation and remediation of contaminated properties, regardless of fault
or the legality of the original disposal. These persons include the present
    
                                      S-7
<PAGE>
 
   
and former owners or operators of a contaminated property, and companies that
generated, disposed of, or arranged for the disposal of, hazardous substances
found at the property. During 1994, 1995 and through the three months ended
November 30, 1995, the Company paid approximately $1.4 million, $3.2 million
and $.6 million, respectively, for environmental investigation and
remediation.     
   
  The Company currently is aware of probable obligations for environmental
matters at 35 properties. As of November 30, 1995, the Company had made an
environmental accrual of $18.5 million. The Company periodically reviews and,
as appropriate, revises its environmental accruals. Based on current
information and regulatory requirements, the Company believes that the
accruals established for environmental expenditures are adequate.     
   
  The Company's actual final costs of addressing certain environmental matters
are not quantifiable, and therefore have not been accrued, because such
matters are in preliminary stages and the timing, extent and costs of various
actions which governmental authorities may require are currently unknown.
Management also is aware of other environmental matters for which there is a
reasonable possibility that the Company will incur costs to resolve. It is
possible that the costs of resolution of the matters described in this
paragraph may exceed the liabilities which, in the opinion of management, are
probable and which costs are reasonably estimable at November 30, 1995. In the
opinion of management, it is reasonably possible for such costs to be
approximately an additional $22.2 million. See "Business--Matters Involving
the Environment" in the accompanying Prospectus.     
   
ABSENCE OF CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS IN THE INDENTURE     
   
  The Indenture under which the Senior Notes are to be issued does not contain
any provisions that would limit the ability of the Company or any of its
affiliates to incur indebtedness (secured or unsecured) or that would afford
holders of the Senior Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged
transaction, restructuring, change in control, merger or similar transaction
involving the Company that may adversely affect holders of the Senior Notes.
See "Description of Debt Securities--General" in the accompanying Prospectus.
    
ABSENCE OF PUBLIC MARKET FOR THE SENIOR NOTES
   
  There is currently no trading market for the Senior Notes, and no assurance
can be given that any market for the Senior Notes will develop or, if any such
market develops, as to the liquidity of such market. The Senior Notes have
been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
"FMLD 03", subject to official notice of issuance. No assurance can be given
that a holder of the Senior Notes will be able to sell them in the future or
that such sale will be at a price equal to or higher than the initial public
offering price. Furthermore, the Senior Notes may trade at a discount from
their initial public offering price depending upon prevailing interest rates
and other factors.     
   
AGRICULTURAL LEGISLATION     
   
  The U.S. Senate has passed a bill primarily intended to phase out, over a
seven-year period, subsidies and price controls for grain and certain other
crops. A similar bill is pending before the U.S. House of Representatives. It
is not possible for the Company to predict whether and in what form such
legislation may be enacted, and, if enacted, what effect, if any, such
legislation may have on the Company.     
       
       
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
   
  The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Senior Notes offered
hereby are estimated to be $    million. The Company intends to use such net
proceeds for general corporate purposes. Pending such use, such net proceeds
may be used temporarily to repay short-term indebtedness.     
       
                                      S-8
<PAGE>
 
                                CAPITALIZATION
   
  The following table sets forth the capitalization (including short-term
debt) of the Company as of November 30, 1995, on an actual basis and as
adjusted to give effect to the issuance of the Senior Notes offered hereby:
    
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
                                                           ACTUAL   AS ADJUSTED
                                                         ---------- -----------
                                                         (AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                      <C>        <C>
SHORT-TERM DEBT (INCLUDING NONRECOURSE DEBT OF $75,589
 AND CURRENT MATURITIES OF LONG-TERM DEBT)(1)........... $  392,201 $  392,201
LONG-TERM DEBT (EXCLUDING CURRENT MATURITIES):
  Senior Notes..........................................          0    100,000
  Other non-subordinated debt...........................    189,732    189,732
  Subordinated debt.....................................    273,019    273,019
  Nonrecourse debt(1)...................................     43,532     43,532
                                                         ---------- ----------
    Total long-term debt................................ $  506,283 $  606,283
INTERIM NET INCOME(2)................................... $   52,284 $   52,284
CAPITAL SHARES AND EQUITIES(2):
  Preferred shares--Authorized 8,000,000 shares of $25
   par value; issued and outstanding, 98,157 shares..... $    2,454 $    2,454
  Common shares--Authorized 50,000,000 shares of $25 par
   value; issued and outstanding, 17,393,619 shares.....    434,840    434,840
  Associate member common shares--Authorized 2,000,000
   shares of $25 par value; issued and outstanding,
   707,103 shares.......................................     17,678     17,678
  Capital credits.......................................     32,974     32,974
  Earned surplus and other equities.....................    199,309    199,309
                                                         ---------- ----------
    Total capital shares and equities................... $  687,255 $  687,255
                                                         ---------- ----------
      Total capitalization.............................. $1,638,023 $1,738,023
                                                         ========== ==========
</TABLE>    
- --------
(1) Nonrecourse debt refers to debt of subsidiaries of the Company for which
    only the applicable subsidiary is responsible.
   
(2) In accordance with the bylaws of Farmland, the member-sourced portion of
    consolidated earnings (before income taxes) is determined annually and
    distributed to members of Farmland as patronage refunds. The member-
    sourced portion of such earnings is determined on the basis of the
    quantity or value of business done by Farmland during the year with or for
    members entitled to receive patronage refunds. As this determination is
    made only after the end of the year, and because the appropriation of
    earned surplus is dependent on the determination of the amount of
    patronage refunds, and in view of the fact that the portion of the annual
    patronage refund to be paid in cash or Farmland equity (common shares,
    associate member common shares or capital credits) is determined (by the
    Board of Directors of Farmland (the "Board of Directors") at its
    discretion) after the amount of the annual patronage refund has been
    determined, Farmland makes no provision for patronage refunds in its
    interim financial statements. Therefore, the amount of interim net income
    has been reflected as a separate item in Farmland's November 30, 1995
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet in the 1995 Form 10-K and is not
    included in capital shares and equities at November 30, 1995.     
 
                                      S-9
<PAGE>
 
                     SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
   
  The following selected consolidated financial data as of the end of and for
each of the years in the five-year period ended August 31, 1995 are derived
from the consolidated financial statements of the Company, which consolidated
financial statements have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent
certified public accountants. The Consolidated Financial Statements as of
August 31, 1994 and 1995 and for each of the years in the three-year period
ended August 31, 1995 (the "Consolidated Financial Statements"), and the
independent auditors' report thereon, are included in the 1995 Form 10-K,
which is incorporated by reference in the accompanying Prospectus. The
following selected consolidated financial data as of and for the three-month
periods ended November 30, 1994 and November 30, 1995 are derived from
unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company (the
"November 30, 1995 Financial Statements") included in the Company's Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended November 30, 1995, which is
incorporated by reference in the accompanying Prospectus. The November 30,
1995 Financial Statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal
recurring accruals, which the Company considers necessary for a fair
presentation of the results of operations for the periods covered thereby. The
information set forth below should be read in conjunction with information
appearing elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus Supplement
and the accompanying Prospectus: "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations", the Consolidated Financial
Statements and related notes, and the independent auditors' report which
contains an explanatory paragraph concerning income tax adjustments proposed
by the IRS relating to Terra, and the November 30, 1995 Financial Statements
and related notes.     
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  THREE MONTHS THREE MONTHS
                                                                                     ENDED        ENDED
                                           YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31                   NOVEMBER 30  NOVEMBER 30
                          ------------------------------------------------------- ------------ ------------
                             1991       1992       1993        1994       1995        1994         1995
                          ---------- ---------- ----------  ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------
                                                (AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT RATIOS)
<S>                       <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>
SUMMARY OF
 OPERATIONS:(1)(2)
Net Sales...............  $3,638,072 $3,429,307 $4,722,940  $6,677,933 $7,256,869  $1,616,167   $2,156,949
Operating Income of
 Industry Segments......     156,765    160,912     86,579     154,799    293,381      77,020       85,801
Interest Expense........      36,951     27,965     36,764      51,485     53,862      13,443       14,289
Income (Loss) From
 Continuing Operations..      42,693     61,046    (30,400)     73,876    162,799      47,945       52,284
Net Income (Loss).......  $   42,693 $   62,313 $  (30,400) $   73,876 $  162,799  $   47,945   $   52,284
                          ========== ========== ==========  ========== ==========  ==========   ==========
DISTRIBUTION OF NET
 INCOME (LOSS):
Patronage Refunds:
 Allocated Equity.......  $   17,837 $    1,038 $    1,155  $   44,032 $   61,356      Note 3       Note 3
 Cash and Cash
  Equivalents...........      12,571     17,918        495      26,580     33,061      Note 3       Note 3
Earned Surplus and Other
 Equities...............      12,285     43,357    (32,050)      3,264     68,382      Note 3       Note 3
                          ---------- ---------- ----------  ---------- ----------
                          $   42,693 $   62,313 $  (30,400) $   73,876 $  162,799      Note 3       Note 3
                          ========== ========== ==========  ========== ==========
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO
 FIXED CHARGES(4).......         1.9        2.5     Note 4         2.2        4.0         4.3          4.7
BALANCE SHEETS:
Working Capital.........  $  122,124 $  208,629 $  260,519  $  290,704 $  319,513  $  300,890   $  318,566
Property, Plant and
 Equipment, Net.........     490,712    446,002    504,378     501,290    592,145     506,992      617,549
Total Assets............   1,369,231  1,526,392  1,719,981   1,926,631  2,185,943   1,920,378    2,374,273
Long-Term Debt
 (excluding current
 maturities)............     291,192    322,377    485,861     517,806    506,033     493,161      506,283
Capital Shares and
 Equities...............     497,364    588,129    561,707     585,013    687,287     584,860      687,255
</TABLE>    
                                          
                                       (See following page for footnotes.)     
 
                                     S-10
<PAGE>
 
       
- --------
   
(1) See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
    Results of Operations--Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital
    Resources" for a discussion of the pending income tax litigation relating
    to Terra, a former subsidiary of the Company.     
          
(2) Acquisitions and Dispositions:     
     
  (a) During 1994, the Company acquired approximately 79% of the common stock
      of National Carriers, Inc. ("NCI") for a cash purchase price of $4.4
      million. NCI is a trucking company located in Liberal, Kansas. NCI
      provides substantially all the trucking service needs of National Beef
      Packing Company, L.P. ("NBPC"), a limited partnership. See Note 2 of
      the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the 1995
      Form 10-K.     
     
  (b) In December 1993, the Company acquired all the common stock of seven
      international grain trading companies (collectively referred to as
      "Tradigrain"). The purchase price for Tradigrain ($31.4 million) was
      paid in cash. See Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial
      Statements included in the 1995 Form 10-K.     
     
  (c) During 1993, Farmland acquired a 58% interest in NBPC (which interest
      was increased to 68% on March 31, 1995 and, subsequent to August 31,
      1995, to approximately 76%). Effective April 15, 1993, NBPC acquired
      Idle Wild Foods, Inc.'s beef packing plant and feedlot located in
      Liberal, Kansas. See Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial
      Statements included in the 1995 Form 10-K.     
     
  (d) In August 1993, The Cooperative Finance Association ("CFA") purchased
      10,113,000 shares of its voting common stock from Farmland as part of a
      recapitalization plan which established CFA as an independent finance
      association for its members. As a result of CFA's stock purchase and
      amendments to CFA's bylaws, Farmland did not have voting control of CFA
      at August 31, 1993 and, therefore, did not include CFA in its
      consolidated balance sheet at August 31, 1993. Farmland's remaining
      investment in CFA is being accounted for by the cost method. See Note 2
      of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the 1995
      Form 10-K.     
            
  (e) The following unaudited financial information for the year ended August
      31, 1993 presents pro forma results of operations of the Company as if
      the disposition of CFA and the acquisition of NBPC had occurred at the
      beginning of the period presented. The pro forma financial information
      includes adjustments for amortization of goodwill, additional
      depreciation expense, and increased interest expense both on recourse
      and nonrecourse debt assumed in the acquisitions. The pro forma
      financial information does not necessarily reflect the results of
      operations that would have occurred had the Company been a single
      entity which excluded CFA and included NBPC for the full 1993. See Note
      2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the
      1995 Form 10-K.     
 
<TABLE>       
<CAPTION>
                                                                   AUGUST 31
                                                                  (UNAUDITED)
                                                                ----------------
                                                                   1993
                                                                -----------
                                                                (AMOUNTS IN
                                                                THOUSANDS)
     <S>                                                        <C>          <C>
     Net Sales................................................. $5,357,867
                                                                ==========
     Income (Loss) Before Extraordinary Item................... $  (44,040)
                                                                ==========
</TABLE>    
   
(3) In accordance with the bylaws of Farmland, the member-sourced portion of
    consolidated earnings (before income taxes) is determined annually and
    distributed to members of Farmland as patronage refunds. The member-
    sourced portion of such earnings is determined on the basis of the
    quantity or value of business done by Farmland during the year with or for
    members entitled to receive patronage refunds. As this determination is
    made only after the end of the fiscal year, and because the appropriation
    of earned surplus is dependent on the determination of the amount of
    patronage refunds, and in view of the fact that the portion of the annual
    patronage refund to be     
 
                                     S-11
<PAGE>
 
      
   paid in cash or Farmland equity (common shares, associate member common
   shares or capital credits) is determined (by the Board of Directors at its
   discretion) after the amount of the annual patronage refund has been
   determined, Farmland makes no provision for patronage refunds in its
   interim financial statements. Therefore, the amount of interim net income
   has been reflected as a separate item in Farmland's November 30, 1995
   Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet and is not included in capital shares
   and equities at November 30, 1995.     
   
(4) In computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings represent
    pretax income (loss) for the enterprise as a whole including 100% of such
    income (loss) of minority-owned subsidiaries which have fixed charges, the
    Company's share of 50%-owned entities and any distributed earnings (but
    not losses or undistributed earnings) of less-than-50% owned entities plus
    fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest and finance charges on
    all indebtedness plus that portion of rentals considered to be the
    interest factor. Income was inadequate to cover fixed charges for the year
    ended August 31, 1993. The dollar amount of the coverage deficiency was
    $36.6 million.     
 
  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
                                  OPERATIONS
 
FINANCIAL CONDITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
  The Company has historically maintained two primary sources for debt
capital: a substantially continuous public offering of its debt securities
(the "continuous debt program") and bank lines of credit.
   
  The Company's debt securities issued under the continuous debt program
generally are offered on a best-efforts basis through the Company's wholly
owned broker-dealer subsidiary, Farmland Securities Company, and through
American Heartland Investments, Inc. (which is not affiliated with Farmland),
and also may be offered by selected unaffiliated broker-dealers. The types of
securities offered in the continuous debt program include certificates payable
on demand and five- and ten-year subordinated debt certificates. The total
amount of such debt outstanding and the flow of funds to, or from, the Company
as a result of the continuous debt program are influenced by the rate of
interest which Farmland establishes for each type of debt certificate offered
and by options of Farmland to call for redemption certain of its outstanding
debt certificates. During the year ended August 31, 1995, and the three months
ended November 30, 1995, the outstanding aggregate balance of demand loan and
subordinated debt certificates increased (decreased) by $10.3 million and
$(.6) million, respectively.     
   
  Farmland has a $650.0 million Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement
provides short-term credit of up to $450.0 million to finance seasonal
operations and inventory, and revolving term credit of up to $200.0 million.
At November 30, 1995, short-term borrowings under the Credit Agreement were
$232.7 million, revolving term borrowings were $85.0 million and $35.0 million
was being utilized to support letters of credit issued on behalf of Farmland
by participating banks.     
   
  At November 30, 1995, Farmland was in compliance with all covenants under
the Credit Agreement. The Company and the bank participants annually renew the
short-term commitments of the Credit Agreement. The next renewal date is in
May 1996. Management expects that the short-term commitment will be renewed;
however, at such annual renewal date, any bank participant may choose not to
renew its portion of the short-term commitment. The revolving term loan
facility will expire in May 1997.     
          
  The Company maintains other borrowing arrangements with banks and financial
institutions. Under such agreements, at November 30, 1995, $44.2 million was
borrowed. Financial covenants of these arrangements generally are not more
restrictive than under the Credit Agreement.     
 
                                     S-12
<PAGE>
 
          
  NBPC maintains a $90.0 million borrowing agreement with a group of banks
which provide financing support for its beef packing operations. Such
borrowings are nonrecourse to Farmland or Farmland's other affiliates (except
to the extent of $10.0 million). At November 30, 1995, $41.3 million was
borrowed and $1.0 million was utilized to support letters of credit. In
addition, NBPC has incurred certain long-term borrowings from Farmland. NBPC
has pledged certain assets to Farmland and to such group of banks to support
its borrowings.     
   
  Tradigrain, which is comprised of seven international grain trading
subsidiaries of Farmland, has borrowing agreements with various international
banks which provide financing and letters of credit to support current
international grain trading transactions. At November 30, 1995, such
borrowings totaled $72.9 million. Obligations of Tradigrain under these loan
agreements are nonrecourse to Farmland or Farmland's other affiliates.     
   
  Leveraged leasing has been used to finance railcars and a substantial
portion of the Company's fertilizer production equipment. Under the most
restrictive covenants of its leases, the Company has agreed to maintain
working capital of at least $75.0 million, Consolidated Funded Debt of not
greater than 65% of Consolidated Capitalization and Senior Funded Debt of not
greater than 50% of Consolidated Capitalization (all as defined in the most
restrictive lease).     
   
  In the opinion of management, these arrangements for debt capital are
adequate for the Company's present operating and capital plans. However,
additional financing arrangements are continuously evaluated. This offering of
Senior Notes is an example of such an additional financing arrangement.     
          
  As a cooperative, Farmland's member-sourced net earnings (i.e., income from
business done with or for members) are distributed to its voting members,
associate members and patrons in the form of common equity, capital credits or
cash. For this purpose, net income or loss was determined in accordance with
the requirements of federal income tax law up to 1994 and is determined in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in 1995 and after.
Income other than member-sourced income is treated as "nonmember-sourced
income". Nonmember-sourced income is subject to income tax and after-tax
earnings are transferred to earned surplus. Under Farmland's bylaws, the
member-sourced income is distributed to members as patronage refunds unless
the earned surplus account, at the end of that year, is lower than 30% of the
sum of the prior year-end balance of outstanding common shares, associate
member common shares, capital credits, nonmember capital and patronage refunds
payable in equities. In such cases, member-sourced income is reduced by the
lesser of 15% or an amount required to increase the earned surplus account to
the required 30%. The amount by which the member-sourced income is so reduced
is treated as nonmember-sourced income. The member-sourced income remaining is
distributed to members as patronage refunds. For the years 1993, 1994 and
1995, the earned surplus account exceeded the required amount by $3.8 million,
$2.3 million and $62.8 million, respectively.     
   
  Generally, a portion of the patronage refund is distributed in cash and the
balance is allocated to equity (the "allocated equity portion") and
distributed in common shares, associate member common shares or capital
credits (depending on the membership status of the recipient), or the Board of
Directors may determine to distribute the allocated equity portion in any
other form or forms of equities. The allocated equity portion of the patronage
refund is determined annually by the Board of Directors, but the allocated
equity portion of the patronage refund is not deductible for federal income
tax purposes when it is issued unless at least 20% of the amount of the
patronage refund is paid in cash. The allocated equity portion of the
patronage refund is a source of funds from operations which is retained for
use in the business and increases Farmland's equity base. Common shares and
associate member common shares, representing the invested portion of patronage
refunds may be redeemed by cash payments from Farmland to holders thereof who
participate in Farmland's base capital plan. Capital credits and other
equities of Farmland and Farmland Foods, Inc., a 99%-owned subsidiary,     
 
                                     S-13
<PAGE>
 
   
may be redeemed under other equity redemption plans. The base capital plan and
other equity redemption plans are described under "Business--Allocated Equity
Redemption Plans" in the accompanying Prospectus.     
   
  Cash provided by operating activities totaled $44.7 million in 1995 compared
with $106.0 million in 1994. This decrease reflects the cash effect of
increased inventories and accounts receivable (principally in the output
business, and mostly in the grain business).     
   
  Other major sources of cash in 1995 included $42.5 million from disposition
of investments and collections on long-term notes receivable, $37.1 million
from an increase in checks and drafts outstanding which is attributable to the
Company's cash management systems, $10.3 million from the sale to investors of
demand loan and subordinated debt certificates and $9.2 million from bank
loans and other notes.     
   
  Major uses of cash during 1995 included $124.7 million for capital additions
or improvements, $26.8 million for acquisition of investments and notes
receivable, $26.6 million for patronage refunds and dividends distributed from
1994 earnings and $12.4 million for the redemption of allocated equities under
the Farmland base capital plan and other equity redemption plans.     
   
  Major uses of cash during the three months ended November 30, 1995 include
$45.0 million for capital expenditures, $32.6 million for patronage refunds
and dividends distributed from income of the 1995 fiscal year, $23.4 million
for the redemption of equities under the Farmland base capital plan and other
equity redemption plans, $15.9 million in net payments to reduce the balance
of bank loans and other notes outstanding and $11.9 million for additional
investment and long-term notes receivable. Major sources of cash include $73.9
million from operations and $58.9 million from an increase in the balance of
checks and drafts outstanding.     
       
  In July 1983, Farmland sold the stock of Terra, a wholly owned subsidiary
engaged in oil and gas exploration and production operations, and exited its
oil and gas exploration and production activities. The gain from the sale of
Terra amounted to $237.2 million for tax reporting purposes.
   
  On March 24, 1993, the IRS issued a statutory notice to Farmland asserting
deficiencies in federal income taxes (exclusive of statutory interest thereon)
in the aggregate amount of $70.8 million. The asserted deficiencies relate
primarily to the Company's tax treatment of the $237.2 million gain resulting
from its sale of the stock of Terra and the IRS's contention that Farmland
incorrectly treated the Terra sale gain as income against which certain
patronage-sourced operating losses could be offset. The statutory notice
further asserts that, among other things, Farmland incorrectly characterized
for tax purposes gains aggregating approximately $14.6 million, and a loss of
approximately $2.3 million, from dispositions of certain other assets.     
   
  On June 11, 1993, Farmland filed a petition in the United States Tax Court
contesting the asserted deficiencies in their entirety. The case was tried on
June 13-15, 1995. The parties submitted post-trial briefs to the court on
September 14, 1995; reply briefs were submitted to the court on November 28,
1995, and Farmland is awaiting the court's decision.     
   
  If the United States Tax Court decides in favor of the IRS on all unresolved
issues raised in the statutory notice, Farmland would have additional federal
and state income tax liabilities aggregating approximately $85.8 million plus
accumulating statutory interest thereon (approximately $191.4 million, before
tax benefits of the interest deduction, through January 31, 1996), or $277.2
million in the aggregate at January 31, 1996. In addition, such a decision
would affect the computation of Farmland's taxable income for its 1989 tax
year and, as a result, could increase Farmland's federal and state income
taxes for that year by approximately $5.0 million plus applicable statutory
interest thereon. Finally, the additional federal and state income taxes and
accrued interest thereon, which would be owed based on an adverse decision,
would become immediately due and payable unless the Company appealed the
decision and posted the requisite bond to stay assessment and collection.     
 
                                     S-14
<PAGE>
 
   
  The liability resulting from an adverse decision would be charged to current
operations and would have a material adverse effect on the Company and may
adversely affect its ability to pay, when due, principal and interest on the
Senior Notes and the Company's other indebtedness. In order to pay any such
tax claim, the Company would have to consider new financing arrangements,
including the incurrence of additional indebtedness and the sale of assets.
Moreover, the Company would be required to renegotiate the Credit Agreement
with its bank lenders, as well as other existing financing agreements with
certain other parties, not only to permit such new financing arrangements, but
also to cure events of default under the Credit Agreement and certain of such
other existing financing agreements and to maintain compliance with various
requirements of the Credit Agreement and such other existing financing
agreements, including working capital and funded indebtedness provisions, in
order to avoid default thereunder. No assurance can be given that such
financing arrangements or such renegotiation would be successfully concluded.
       
  No provision has been made in the Consolidated Financial Statements for
federal or state income taxes (or interest thereon) in respect of the IRS
claims described above. Farmland believes that it has meritorious positions
with respect to all of these claims.     
   
  In the opinion of Bryan Cave LLP, Farmland's special tax counsel, it is more
likely than not that the courts will ultimately conclude that Farmland's
treatment of the Terra sale gain was substantially, if not entirely, correct.
Such counsel has further advised, however, that none of the issues involved in
this dispute is free from doubt, and there can be no assurance that the courts
will ultimately rule in favor of Farmland on any of these issues.     
   
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR YEARS ENDED AUGUST 31, 1993, 1994 AND 1995     
   
  The Company's revenues, margins and net income depend, to a large extent, on
conditions in agriculture and may be volatile due to factors beyond the
Company's control, such as weather, crop failures, federal agricultural
programs, production efficiencies and U.S. imports and exports. In addition,
various federal and state regulations to protect the environment encourage
farmers to reduce the use of fertilizer and other plant nutrient and
protection products. Global variables which affect supply, demand and price of
crude oil, refined fuels, natural gas and other commodities may impact the
Company's operations. Historically, changes in the costs of raw materials used
in the manufacture of the Company's finished products have not necessarily
resulted in corresponding changes in the prices at which such products have
been sold by the Company. Management cannot determine the extent to which
these factors may impact future operations of the Company. The Company's cash
flow and net income may continue to be volatile as conditions affecting
agriculture and markets for the Company's products change.     
   
  The increase (decrease) in sales and operating profit by business segment in
each of the years in the three-year period ended 1995, compared with the
respective prior year, is presented in the following table.     
 
                                     S-15
<PAGE>
 
   
  Management's discussion of business segment sales, operating income or loss
and other factors affecting the Company's net income during 1993, 1994 and
1995 follows the table.     
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
                                CHANGE IN SALES            CHANGE IN NET INCOME
                         ----------------------------- -----------------------------
                           1993      1994      1995      1993      1994      1995
                         COMPARED  COMPARED  COMPARED  COMPARED  COMPARED  COMPARED
                         WITH 1992 WITH 1993 WITH 1994 WITH 1992 WITH 1993 WITH 1994
                         --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
                             (AMOUNTS IN MILLIONS)         (AMOUNTS IN MILLIONS)
INCREASE (DECREASE) OF
<S>                      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
INDUSTRY SEGMENT--SALES
 AND
 OPERATING INCOME OR
 LOSS:
  Petroleum.............  $  (92)   $  (32)    $  21     $(13)     $ 32      $(35)
  Crop Production.......     (13)      278         8      (60)       74        73
  Feed..................      34        49       (60)      (1)       (4)       (7)
  Food Processing and
   Marketing............     563       943       337       (8)        4        56
  Grain Marketing.......     798       674       279        1       (34)       52
  Other.................       4        43        (6)       7        (4)      -0-
                          ------    ------     -----     ----      ----      ----
                          $1,294    $1,955     $ 579     $(74)     $ 68      $139
                          ======    ======     =====
CORPORATE EXPENSES AND OTHER:
General corporate expenses (increase) decrease........   $  9      $ (9)     $(14)
Interest expense (increase) decrease..................     (9)      (15)       (2)
Provision for loss on disposition of assets (increase)
 decrease.............................................    (29)       29       -0-
Other income and deductions (net) increase (decrease).      7        14        (6)
Equity in income of investees increase (decrease).....    (10)       23        11
Minority owners' interest in net income of
 subsidiaries (increase) decrease.....................     (1)        5       (14)
Income taxes (increase) decrease......................     15       (11)      (25)
                                                         ----      ----      ----
Net income increase (decrease)........................   $(92)     $104      $ 89
                                                         ====      ====      ====
</TABLE>    
          
  In computing the operating income or loss of an industry segment, none of
the following have been added or deducted: corporate expenses (included in the
statements of operations as selling, general and administrative expenses)
which cannot practicably be identified or allocated to an industry segment,
interest expense, interest income, equity in net income (loss) of investees,
other income (deductions) or income taxes.     
 
PETROLEUM
 
 SALES
   
  Sales of the petroleum business increased $21.3 million in 1995 compared
with 1994, or 2.5%. Sales of gasoline increased $42.1 million due to 9.6%
higher unit sales and 2.4% higher prices. Sales of distillates and propane
decreased $14.3 million and $3.0 million, respectively, and sales of other
petroleum products decreased $3.5 million. Unit sales of distillates and
propane decreased as a result of a mild winter and a wet spring.     
   
  Sales of petroleum products reflect a decrease of $31.9 million in 1994
compared with 1993 primarily due to lower prices of refined fuels and propane.
The effect of lower prices was to reduce reported sales by approximately $62.4
million. Part of this decrease was offset by the effect of a 6% increase in
refined fuels and propane unit sales.     
       
       
  Sales of the petroleum segment decreased $92.2 million in 1993 compared with
1992, primarily a result of a 12% decrease in unit sales of refined fuels
(gasoline, diesel and distillates) and a 2% decline of the average selling
price thereof. Unit sales decreased principally because the Company sold its
investment in National Cooperative Refinery Association ("NCRA") in June 1992.
The refined fuels unit
 
                                     S-16
<PAGE>
 
sales decrease in 1993 reduced sales by approximately $92.2 million compared
with 1992 and lower prices of refined fuels reduced sales by $17.7 million.
Sales of other products (principally asphalt and coke) decreased $12.4
million. Propane sales increased approximately $30.1 million in 1993 due to a
27% increase in unit sales and 18% higher prices.
          
 OPERATING INCOME     
   
  The petroleum business incurred an operating loss of $8.0 million in 1995
compared with operating income of $27.2 million in 1994. This was attributable
to an approximately 9% increase in crude oil costs without corresponding
increases in finished product selling prices.     
   
  Results from petroleum operations increased $31.7 million in 1994 compared
with 1993 primarily because unit margins on diesel fuels with low levels of
sulfur (required by the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") for diesel
fuel sold after September 30, 1993) were higher than the prior year. These
margins which were significantly higher immediately after the crossover to the
low sulfur level diesel fuels, decreased to normal levels later in 1994. In
addition, margins on other refined fuels improved in 1994 compared with 1993
because the cost per barrel of crude oil decreased and because production at
the Coffeyville, Kansas refinery was substantially higher than in the prior
year.     
   
  Operating income of the petroleum segment decreased $12.8 million in 1993
compared with 1992. The favorable effects of improved margins in propane and
lower marketing and administrative expenses were more than offset by the
unfavorable effects of lower income from distributing fuels produced by NCRA
and the write-down to market value of certain petroleum inventories.     
       
CROP PRODUCTION
 
 SALES
   
  Sales of the crop production business increased $8.0 million in 1995
compared with 1994. Sales of plant nutrients increased $117.9 million due to
higher selling prices. Unit sales of plant nutrients decreased slightly from
the Company's record level of 7.4 million tons set in 1994. Sales of crop
protection products reflect a decrease of $109.9 million as a result of
placing the Company's crop protection operations in a 50%-owned joint venture
on January 1, 1995.     
 
  Crop production sales in 1994 increased $278.5 million compared with 1993
due to higher plant nutrient prices and unit sales. The average price per ton
of nutrient increased approximately 13.3% and unit sales increased
approximately 1.1 million tons or 18%.
   
  Sales of the crop production segment decreased $13.0 million in 1993
compared with 1992. Nitrogen fertilizer sales increased $54.1 million due to
8% higher unit sales and because the average selling price increased 3%.
Phosphate fertilizer sales decreased $64.7 million. This decrease is primarily
a result of the sale of the Green Bay, Florida phosphate plant to a 50%-owned
joint venture. Subsequent to this sale (on November 15, 1991) export sales
from the Green Bay plant have not been reported in the Company's operations.
In 1992, the Company's sales included export sales from the Green Bay plant of
$60.9 million.     
          
 OPERATING INCOME     
   
  Operating income of the crop production business increased $72.7 million in
1995 compared with 1994. In addition, the Company's share of the net income of
joint ventures engaged in phosphate manufacturing increased $4.6 million and
the Company's share of net income of WILFARM was $2.2 million. The increased
operating results from crop production operations were principally
attributable to the effect of higher selling price on unit margins and
contributed significantly to the Company's increased net income in 1995.     
   
  Operating income of the crop production business in 1994 increased $74.4
million compared with 1993. This increase resulted from higher unit sales and
unit margins. Unit margins in 1994 were     
 
                                     S-17
<PAGE>
 
   
approximately twice the level of 1993 which increased operating income in this
segment approximately $66.8 million. Unit sales increased 18% (over one
million tons) which increased operating income by approximately $10.8 million.
In addition, the Company's share of net income from fertilizer ventures
(included in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Operations in the caption
"Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Investees" in the 1995 Form 10-K) was $15.3
million in 1994. This is an increase of $23.4 million compared with 1993.
Demand for plant nutrients in 1994 was stronger than in 1993 due to an
increase in the number of acres under cultivation, principally corn acreage
(corn acreage harvested was relatively low in 1993 due to wet weather and the
resulting floods in the Company's trade territory). In addition, demand for
plant nutrients was stimulated by favorable weather conditions during the fall
and spring application seasons. The increased demand for plant nutrients
translated into higher unit sales and margins and contributed significantly to
the Company's increased net income in 1994.     
   
  Operating income of the crop production segment decreased $60.3 million in
1993 compared with 1992, primarily because of a 29% higher natural gas cost
(the principal raw material consumed in producing nitrogen fertilizer) which
was not recovered through selling prices. Fertilizer margins decreased
approximately $43.2 million because of higher natural gas cost. In addition,
phosphate fertilizer margins decreased approximately $7.1 million because
decreased phosphate fertilizer selling prices more than offset decreased cost.
In addition, the Company's share of the net loss of fertilizer ventures
(included in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Operations in the caption
"Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Investees" in the 1995 Form 10-K) was $8.1
million in 1993 compared with a loss of $1.3 million in 1992.     
       
FEED
 
 SALES
   
  Sales of the feed business decreased $60.1 million in 1995 compared with
1994. This decrease reflects lower unit sales in traditional markets for beef,
dairy and swine feed partly offset by increased commercial (bulk) feed sales.
Unit sales of dairy feed decreased because the number of dairy cattle on feed
programs in the Company's trade territory decreased in 1995. Beef and swine
feed unit sales decreased because the relatively low market prices available
to livestock producers encouraged such producers to reduce input costs
wherever possible and such efforts were aided by the mild winter during which
pastures in most of the Company's trade area remained open and provided
suitable grazing for beef cattle.     
   
  Sales of feed products increased $48.7 million in 1994 compared with 1993.
Unit sales of formula feed and feed ingredients each increased approximately
10% which generated a $39.6 million increase in sales. The balance of the
sales increase resulted primarily from higher feed ingredients prices.     
   
  Sales of the feed segment increased $33.9 million in 1993 compared with
1992, primarily because of higher unit sales. Formula feed unit sales
increased approximately 9% which increased sales $20.3 million. Feed
ingredients unit sales increased approximately 12% which increased sales by
$18.1 million. In addition, sales of animal health products increased $2.0
million. Lower formula feed selling prices partly offset the effect of higher
unit sales.     
          
 OPERATING INCOME     
   
  Operating income of the feed business decreased $7.0 million in 1995
compared with 1994. This decrease was attributable to an overall decrease in
unit sales of beef, dairy and swine feed combined with a net loss on sales to
commercial accounts.     
   
  Operating income of the feed business segment decreased $3.7 million in 1994
compared with 1993. Gross margins decreased approximately $.5 million
reflecting lower margins on feed ingredients and pet food of $.8 million and
$.4 million, respectively, partly offset by $.7 million higher margins on
animal health products. In addition, feed sales, marketing and administration
expenses increased $3.2 million primarily due to higher commissions and other
variable compensation plans.     
 
                                     S-18
<PAGE>
 
   
  Operating income of the feed segment of $20.7 million in 1993 was slightly
lower than in 1992. The decrease was due to the impact of lower selling
prices.     
          
FOOD PROCESSING AND MARKETING     
 
 SALES
   
  Sales of the food processing and marketing business increased $337.3 million
in 1995 compared with 1994. Sales of beef increased $350.6 million.
Approximately $235.0 million of this increase resulted from NBPC's purchase of
assets from Hyplains Beef L.C. ("Hyplains") (formerly 50%-owned by Farmland).
The balance of the increased sales of beef resulted primarily from increased
volume (approximately 16%) at NBPC's plant. Sales of pork decreased $13.3
million reflecting the net effect of lower wholesale pork prices, partly
offset by higher unit sales.     
   
  Sales of the food processing and marketing business increased $943.0 million
in 1994 compared with 1993. Sales of beef increased $747.0 million principally
because NBPC has been included in the Company's 1994 results for the full
year. NBPC was formed in April 1993. Pork sales increased $195.9 million, due
mostly to including operations of the Monmouth, Illinois plant in the
Company's results for a full year in 1994. This plant was acquired in February
1993. In addition, sales of specialty meats of the Company's Carando division
increased $13.0 million.     
   
  Food processing and marketing sales increased $562.5 million in 1993
compared with 1992, primarily due to business acquisitions. In April 1993, the
Company and partners organized NBPC. Farmland acquired a 58% ownership
interest in NBPC (which interest was increased to 68% effective March 31, 1995
and, subsequent to August 31, 1995, to approximately 76%) which acquired a
beef packing plant and feedlot located in Liberal, Kansas. As a result of this
acquisition, the Company's sales included beef sales of $442.1 million in
1993. In February 1993, the Company purchased a pork processing plant located
at Monmouth, Illinois. As a result of this acquisition, sales of pork products
increased approximately $90.0 million. Sales of fabricated pork products at
the Company's other plants increased $17.0 million and sales of specialty
meats of the Carando division increased $8.3 million.     
          
 OPERATING INCOME     
   
  Operating income of the food processing and marketing business increased
$56.5 million in 1995 compared with 1994. This increase includes increased
operating income of $43.5 million in beef operations and $13.0 million in pork
operations. In addition, the Company's share of net income of Hyplains in 1995
(for the period prior to its acquisition by NBPC) increased $5.2 million
compared with 1994. These increases reflect increased unit margins (mostly a
result of lower cattle and hog market prices) and an increased number of
cattle and hogs processed.     
   
  Operating income in the food processing and marketing segment of $20.6
million in 1994 reflected an increase of $4.1 million compared with 1993. The
increase included $13.0 million higher operating income of the pork business
partly offset by an $8.9 million decrease of operating income of the beef
business. Operating income from pork processing and marketing operations
increased primarily due to higher volume and higher margins on fresh pork,
branded pork, hams and specialty meats of the Carando division. Operating
income of the beef business decreased due to weak consumer demand for beef and
industry price competition.     
   
  Operating income of the food processing and marketing segment decreased $8.7
million in 1993 compared with 1992. The decrease is primarily due to a 4.6%
increase in live hog costs. Margins on fabricated products and hams increased
$3.6 million and $4.4 million, respectively, and margins on beef products (not
included in the Company's operations in 1992) were $4.2 million. These
increases     
 
                                     S-19
<PAGE>
 
resulted from acquisitions which increased sales as discussed above. However,
these increases were more than offset by the effects of the 4.6% increase in
live hog costs which could not be fully recovered through increased wholesale
prices of fresh and processed pork products and by higher selling and
administrative expenses.
       
GRAIN MARKETING
   
 SALES AND OPERATING INCOME     
   
  Sales of grain increased $279.0 million in 1995 compared with 1994. This
increase resulted from higher grain prices and unit sales, primarily export
sales. Operating income of the grain business totaled $17.9 million in 1995
compared with a loss of $33.5 million in 1994. The increase in operating
results was attributable to approximately 59.0 million bushels higher export
volume by the North American grain division and an increase in the volume of
international grain brokered by Tradigrain, as well as more favorable unit
margins which developed as market prices increased in response to decreased
worldwide production in 1995.     
 
  Grain sales increased $673.6 million in 1994 compared with 1993 primarily
due to the acquisition of Wells-Bowman Trading Company and from operating
elevators in Utah and Idaho which were leased to the Company in 1994.
 
  The grain marketing business had an operating loss of $33.5 million in 1994
compared with near break-even operations in 1993. The operating loss in 1994
includes an operating loss of $14.4 million in the international operations of
Tradigrain and an operating loss of $19.1 million in the Company's grain
division. The loss in 1994 resulted primarily from negative unit margins on
international grain transactions and higher domestic operating expenses.
 
  Grain operations which were acquired in July 1992 reported sales for the
full year in 1993 of $953.5 million. Sales for the two months ended August 31,
1992 were $155.2 million.
   
  In 1993, operating income of the grain business was $.1 million compared
with a loss of $.7 million for the two months ended August 31, 1992. In 1993,
grain marketing operations were relocated to Kansas City from Enid, Oklahoma,
an export elevator at Houston, Texas was sold and certain duplicative
administrative costs were eliminated. As a result, cost reductions were
realized in 1993.     
 
SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
   
  Selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") increased $39.1
million in 1995 compared with 1994. Approximately $25.3 million of the
increase were directly connected to business segments (primarily the grain and
pork businesses) and have been included in the operating expenses of these
business segments. The increase of SG&A not identified to business segments
($13.8 million) reflects higher variable compensation, pension and other
employee costs and higher costs for legal services.     
   
  SG&A increased $81.5 million in 1994 compared with 1993. However, as a
percent of sales, these expenses were slightly lower in 1994 than in 1993.
Approximately $17.6 million of the increase resulted from acquisition of
Tradigrain and NCI and from including NBPC in the Company's financial
statements for the full year in 1994. Approximately $29.0 million of the
increase was in pork marketing and processing and resulted primarily from
including the Monmouth, Illinois pork plant in the Company's operations for a
full year, and from higher sales of pork. Farm supply businesses and the grain
marketing business had higher SG&A of $13.1 million and $3.4 million,
respectively. The balance of the SG&A increase was primarily due to variable
compensation plans.     
 
                                     S-20
<PAGE>
 
   
  SG&A decreased $12.3 million in 1993 compared with 1992. SG&A directly
connected to business segments decreased $3.0 million and SG&A not identified
to business segments decreased $9.3 million.     
 
OTHER INCOME (DEDUCTIONS)
 
 INTEREST EXPENSE
   
  Interest expense increased $2.4 million in 1995 compared with 1994,
reflecting a higher average interest rate (approximately 1/2% higher), partly
offset by a lower amount of average borrowings.     
   
  Interest expense increased $14.7 million in 1994 compared with 1993. The
increase was primarily attributable to including the interest costs of NBPC's
beef operations in the Company's financial statements for a full year in 1994,
the acquisition of NCI and Tradigrain in 1994 and by higher interest rates.
       
  Interest expense increased $8.8 million in 1993 compared with 1992 due to an
increase of the average level of borrowings, partly offset by lower interest
rates.     
 
 PROVISION FOR LOSS ON DISPOSITION OF ASSETS
 
  At August 31, 1993, management was negotiating to sell the Company's
refinery at Coffeyville, Kansas. Based on the progress of negotiation and the
transactions contemplated, operations for 1993 included a $20.0 million
provision for loss on the sale of the refinery. Accordingly, the net carrying
value of property, plant and equipment was reduced by $20.0 million at August
31, 1993. The transactions contemplated were subject to certain conditions,
including negotiation of final agreements. During 1994, management determined
that final sale terms anticipated by the potential purchaser were not in the
Company's best interest. Accordingly, negotiations were terminated, and the
sale was not consummated.
   
  In 1993, the Company entered discussions with a potential purchaser of a
dragline. Based on these discussions, the Company estimated a loss of $6.2
million from the sale. Accordingly, at August 31, 1993, the carrying value of
the dragline was written down by $6.2 million, and a provision for this loss
was included in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Operations for the
year then ended. In 1994, this sale was consummated on terms substantially as
expected.     
 
  At August 31, 1993, the carrying value of a pork processing plant at Iowa
Falls, Iowa was written down by $3.3 million to an estimated disposal value.
       
 OTHER, NET
   
  In June 1993, the Company filed a lawsuit against 43 insurance carriers and
other parties (the "Defendants") seeking declaratory judgments regarding the
Defendants' insurance coverage obligations for environmental remediation
costs. In 1994 and 1995, the Company negotiated settlements with 20 and two
insurance companies, respectively, and, as part of the settlements, the
Company provided the Defendants with releases of various possible
environmental obligations. As a result of these settlements, the Company
received cash payments of $13.6 million and $.3 million in 1994 and 1995,
respectively, and has included such amounts in the caption "Other income
(deductions): Other, net" in the Company's Consolidated Statements of
Operations for 1994 and 1995. See Note 16 of the Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements included in the 1995 Form 10-K.     
       
       
                                     S-21
<PAGE>
 
   
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THREE MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 1994 AND THREE
MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 1995     
   
 SALES     
   
  Sales for the three months ended November 30, 1995 increased $540.8 million,
or 33.5%, compared with the corresponding period of the prior year. The
increase includes $435.9 million higher sales of agricultural output products,
$100.9 million higher sales of farm production input products and $4.0 million
higher sales of other products and services.     
       
          
  Sales of the food processing and marketing business increased $148.2 million
in the three months ended November 30, 1995 compared to the corresponding
period of the prior year. Pork sales increased $28.7 million as a result of
higher unit prices partially offset by lower volume. Beef sales increased
$119.5 million primarily due to the March 31, 1995 acquisition by NBPC of the
plant at Dodge City, Kansas formerly owned by Hyplains.     
   
  Grain sales increased $287.7 million due to a 58% increase in volume sold
(principally export sales) combined with a significant increase in grain
commodity prices during the three months ended November 30, 1995 compared to
the corresponding period of the prior year.     
   
  Sales of crop production products, petroleum products and feed increased
$89.5 million, or 32.6%, $4.5 million, or 2.0%, and $7.0 million, or 5.5%,
respectively. Sales of crop production products increased because unit sales
and prices of plant nutrients increased approximately 26.6% and 6.8%,
respectively. Sales of petroleum products increased only slightly as improved
propane prices and increased unit sales of distillates and diesel were largely
offset by a decrease in gasoline unit sales. Feed sales increased because of
higher formula feed unit sales and because of higher unit prices received on
sales of feed ingredients.     
   
NET INCOME     
   
  Net income of $52.3 million for the three months ended November 30, 1995
increased $4.3 million or 9.1% compared with the corresponding period of the
prior year. The increase is primarily a result of $17.2 million higher
operating profit in the Company's crop production business. In addition, the
Company's share of net income from joint ventures engaged in crop production
increased $4.4 million. These increases were partially offset by decreased
operating profits of the Company's food processing and marketing, petroleum
and feed businesses of $4.8 million, $4.3 million and $1.2 million,
respectively. In addition, general corporate expenses increased $1.6 million,
minority interest in the net income of subsidiaries increased $1.6 million and
the provision for income taxes increased $3.4 million.     
   
  Operating profit of the crop production business increased in the three
months ended November 30, 1995 compared with the corresponding period of the
prior year as a result of both increased volume and higher prices of nitrogen-
based products. Income of crop production joint ventures increased primarily
because of higher market prices for phosphate fertilizers.     
   
  Operating profit of the food marketing business decreased $4.8 million in
the three months ended November 30, 1995 compared with the corresponding
period of the prior year. Pork processing and marketing operating profit
decreased $11.2 million primarily due to increased hog prices which resulted
in decreased margins on fresh pork products. Operating profits in the beef
business increased $6.4 million in the three months ended November 30, 1995
compared with the corresponding period of the prior year. This increase is
primarily attributable to improvements in operating efficiencies as well as
the availability of cattle at a favorable cost level.     
   
  The petroleum business incurred a $1.8 million loss in the three months
ended November 30, 1995 compared with operating income of $2.5 million in the
same period of the prior year primarily due to an extended turnaround period,
which was necessary to complete the expansion of refining capacity from 62,000
barrels per day to 75,000 barrels per day.     
 
                                     S-22
<PAGE>
 
   
  Operating income in the feed business decreased $1.2 million in the three
months ended November 30, 1995 compared with the corresponding period of the
prior year. This decrease primarily resulted from lower unit margins.     
   
  SG&A increased $5.9 million in the three months ended November 30, 1995
compared with the corresponding period the prior year. Approximately $4.3
million of the increase was directly connected to business segments, primarily
the output businesses (grain, beef and pork) and the inclusion of SG&A of the
Dodge City beef processing facility (formerly Hyplains) in the Company's
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations for the three months ended
November 30, 1995. SG&A not identified to business segments increased $1.6
million primarily due to increased compensation and legal services.     
   
  The estimated effective tax rate, based on the Company's best estimate of
the full year's tax rate, increased to 21.6% for the three months ended
November 30, 1995 from 15.5% for the corresponding period of the prior year.
The increase results from the utilization in prior periods of alternative
minimum tax carryforward credits, which have now been fully utilized. The
actual effective tax rate may be subject to subsequent refinement or revision.
       
  The level of operating profits in the crop production and food marketing
businesses is, to a significant degree, attributable to favorable spreads
between selling prices and raw material costs (natural gas in the case of
nitrogen-based fertilizers and live hogs and cattle in the food marketing
business). These price and cost factors are beyond the control of the
Company's management and have been volatile in the past. Accordingly,
management cannot determine how the direction or magnitude of these factors
will affect the Company's business. The Company's cash flow and income may be
volatile as conditions affecting agriculture, costs and markets for the
Company's products change.     
   
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND INVESTMENTS IN VENTURES     
   
  The Company plans expenditures for capital additions, improvements and
investments in ventures of approximately $379.4 million during 1996 and 1997
of which $47.0 million have been made through November 30, 1995. The Company
intends to fund its capital program with cash from operations or from debt
financing. See "Business--Capital Expenditures and Investments in Ventures" in
the accompanying Prospectus.     
 
MATTERS INVOLVING THE ENVIRONMENT
 
  The Company is subject to various stringent federal, state and local
environmental laws and regulations, including those governing the use,
storage, discharge and disposal of hazardous materials as the Company uses
hazardous substances and generates hazardous wastes in the ordinary course of
its manufacturing process. The Company recognizes liabilities related to
remediation of contaminated properties when the related costs are probable and
can be reasonably estimated. Estimates of these costs are based upon currently
available facts, existing technology, undiscounted site specific costs and
currently enacted laws and regulations. In reporting environmental
liabilities, no offset is made for potential recoveries. Such liabilities
include estimates of the Company's share of costs attributable to PRPs which
are insolvent or otherwise unable to pay. All liabilities are monitored and
adjusted regularly as new facts or changes in law or technology occur.
   
  The Company wholly or jointly owns or operates 56 manufacturing properties
and has potential responsibility for environmental conditions at a number of
former manufacturing facilities and at waste disposal facilities operated by
third parties. The Company is investigating or remediating contamination at 28
properties. The Company has also been identified as a PRP under CERCLA at
various National Priority List sites and has unresolved liability with respect
to the past disposal of hazardous substances at five such sites. Such laws may
impose joint and several liability on certain statutory classes of persons for
the costs of investigation and remediation of contaminated properties,
regardless of fault     
 
                                     S-23
<PAGE>
 
   
or the legality of the original disposal. These persons include the present
and former owners or operators of a contaminated property, and companies that
generated, disposed of, or arranged for the disposal of, hazardous substances
found at the property. During 1994, 1995, and through the three months ended
November 30, 1995, the Company paid approximately $1.4 million, $3.2 million
and $.6 million, respectively, for environmental investigation and
remediation.     
   
  The Company currently is aware of probable obligations for environmental
matters at 35 properties. As of November 30, 1995, the Company has made an
environmental accrual of $18.5 million. The Company periodically reviews and,
as appropriate, revises its environmental accruals. Based on current
information and regulatory requirements, the Company believes that the
accruals established for environmental expenditures are adequate.     
   
  The Company's actual final costs of addressing certain environmental matters
are not quantifiable, and therefore have not been accrued, because such
matters are in preliminary stages and the timing, extent and costs of various
actions which governmental authorities may require are currently unknown.
Management also is aware of other environmental matters for which there is a
reasonable possibility that the Company will incur costs to resolve. It is
possible that the costs of resolution of the matters described in this
paragraph may exceed the liabilities which, in the opinion of management, are
probable and which costs are reasonably estimable at November 30, 1995. In the
opinion of management, it is reasonably possible for such costs to be
approximately an additional $22.2 million.     
   
  Under the Resource Conservation Recovery Act of 1976 ("RCRA"), the Company
has five closure and five post-closure plans in place for six locations.
Closure and post-closure plans also are in place for three landfills and two
injection wells as required by state regulations. Operations are being
conducted at these locations, and the Company does not plan to terminate such
operations in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the Company has not accrued
these environmental exit costs. The Company accrues these liabilities when
plans for termination of plant operations have been made. Such closure and
post-closure costs are estimated to be $5.1 million at November 30, 1995 (and
are in addition to the $22.2 million described in the preceding paragraph).
       
  The Company is currently involved in three administrative proceedings
brought by Region VII of the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") with
respect to alleged violations under the Clean Air Act, the Emergency Planning
and Community Right-to-Know Act and RCRA at the Coffeyville refinery. The
Company is currently negotiating with the EPA concerning these matters and
believes that such negotiations may result in compromise settlements,
including the possible implementation of a Supplemental Environmental Project
in connection with the Clean Air Act proceeding. Absent such settlements, the
Company may contest the EPA's allegations. Management's estimate of probable
civil fines and penalties for these three proceedings has been included in the
environmental accrual discussed above.     
   
  Specifically, the three administrative proceedings are described as follows:
       
  (1) The Company is a party to an administrative enforcement action brought
      by Region VII of the EPA which alleges violations of the Emergency
      Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the release reporting
      requirements of CERCLA at its Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. This
      proceeding involves alleged violations of release reporting
      requirements and seeks a civil penalty in the amount of $350,000.     
     
  (2) The Company is a party to an administrative enforcement action brought
      by Region VII of the EPA which alleges violations of RCRA at its
      Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. In this proceeding, the EPA has proposed
      a civil penalty in the amount of approximately $1.4 million.     
     
  (3) The Company has been informed by the U.S. Department of Justice of its
      intent to bring an enforcement action alleging certain violations of
      the Clean Air Act at its Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. The U.S.
      Department of Justice has informed the Company that it will seek a
      civil penalty of at least $1.6 million.     
 
                                     S-24
<PAGE>
 
   
  Protection of the environment requires the Company to incur expenditures for
equipment or processes, which expenditures may impact the Company's future net
income. However, the Company does not anticipate that its competitive position
will be adversely affected by such expenditures or by laws and regulations
enacted to protect the environment. Environmental expenditures are capitalized
when such expenditures provide future economic benefits. In 1994, 1995 and
through the three months ended November 30, 1995, the Company had capital
expenditures of approximately $2.6 million, $4.7 million and $1.2 million,
respectively, to prevent future discharges into the environment. The majority
of such expenditures was for improvements at the Coffeyville refinery.
Management believes the Company currently is in substantial compliance with
existing environmental rules and regulations.     
 
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
       
       
          
  Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 121, "Accounting for the
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and For Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of"
("Statement 121"), which was issued by the Financial Accounting Standards
Board in March 1995 and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December
15, 1995 (the Company's 1997 fiscal year). Statement 121 establishes
accounting standards for the impairment of long-lived assets, certain
identifiable intangibles, and goodwill related to those assets to be held and
used and for long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles to be
disposed of. Management expects that the adoption of Statement 121 will not
have a significant impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.
    
                        DESCRIPTION OF THE SENIOR NOTES
   
  The following description of the particular terms of the Senior Notes
offered hereby supplements, and to the extent inconsistent therewith replaces,
the description in the accompanying Prospectus of the general terms and
provisions of the Debt Securities (as defined in the accompanying Prospectus),
to which description reference is hereby made.     
   
GENERAL     
   
  The Company's     % Senior Notes Due 2003 offered hereby constitute a single
series of Debt Securities to be issued under an Indenture dated as of      ,
1996, as amended, supplemented or modified from time to time (the "Indenture")
between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association), as
trustee (the "Trustee"), and will be limited to $100,000,000 aggregate
principal amount. The Trustee initially will be the Registrar and Paying
Agent. The Indenture is described more fully under "Description of Debt
Securities" in the accompanying Prospectus. The statements herein concerning
the Senior Notes and the Indenture do not purport to be complete and are
qualified in their entirety by reference to the provisions of the Indenture,
including the definitions of certain terms used herein without definition.
       
  The Senior Notes will mature on        , 2003. The Senior Notes are not
redeemable or repayable prior to maturity and do not provide for any sinking
fund. The Company may purchase Senior Notes in the open market, by tender or
by contract. Senior Notes so purchased may be held, resold or surrendered to
the Trustee for cancellation. If applicable, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), and other securities laws and regulations in
connection with any such purchase. The Senior Notes may be defeased in the
manner provided in the Indenture.     
   
  Interest on the Senior Notes will be payable semi-annually on each      and
     (each an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing        , 1996. Interest
payable on each Interest Payment Date will include interest accrued from     ,
1996 or from the most recent Interest     
 
                                     S-25
<PAGE>
 
   
Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for. Interest
payable on any Interest Payment Date will be payable to the person in whose
name a Senior Note (or any predecessor Senior Note) is registered at the close
of business on the         or        , as the case may be, next preceding such
Interest Payment Date. Principal of and interest on the Notes will be payable
at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose in The City
of New York, which initially will be the office of the Paying Agent, provided
that payment of interest may be made, at the option of the Company, by check
mailed to the person entitled thereto. Interest shall be computed on the basis
of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.     
   
BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM     
   
  The Senior Notes will be represented by the fully registered Global Security
deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC or other successor depositary (DTC or
such other depositary appointed by the Company is herein referred to as the
"Depositary") and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee. The
Senior Notes will not be issuable in definitive form, except under the limited
circumstances described herein.     
          
  DTC has advised the Company and Goldman, Sachs & Co. that it intends to
follow the procedures described below:     
     
    The Depositary will act as securities depositary for the Global Security.
  The Global Security will be issued as a fully registered security
  registered in the name of Cede & Co. (the Depositary's partnership
  nominee).     
     
    The Depositary is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New
  York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New
  York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing
  corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code,
  and a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the provisions of Section
  17A of the Exchange Act. The Depositary holds securities that its
  participants ("Participants") deposit with the Depositary. The Depositary
  also facilitates the settlement among Participants of securities
  transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities
  through electronic computerized book-entry changes in Participants'
  accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities
  certificates. Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers,
  banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other
  organizations ("Direct Participants"). The Depositary is owned by a number
  of its Direct Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the
  American Stock Exchange, Inc., and the National Association of Securities
  Dealers, Inc. Access to the Depositary's system is also available to others
  such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that
  clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct
  Participant, either directly or indirectly ("Indirect Participants"). The
  Rules applicable to the Depositary and its Participants are on file with
  the Securities and Exchange Commission.     
     
    Purchases of Senior Notes must be made by or through Direct Participants,
  which will receive a credit for the Senior Notes on the Depositary's
  records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each Senior
  Note ("Beneficial Owner") is in turn recorded on the Direct and Indirect
  Participant's records. Transfers of ownership interests in the Senior Notes
  are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Participants acting
  on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners will not receive
  certificates representing their ownership interests in the Senior Notes,
  except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the Senior Notes
  is discontinued.     
     
    To facilitate subsequent transfers, all Senior Notes deposited by
  Participants with the Depositary are registered in the name of the
  Depositary's partnership nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit of Senior Notes
  with the Depositary and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. effect
  no change in beneficial ownership. The Depositary has no knowledge of the
  actual Beneficial     
 
                                     S-26
<PAGE>
 
     
  Owners of the Senior Notes; the Depositary's records reflect only the
  identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts such Senior Notes are
  credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Participants
  will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of
  their customers.     
     
    Conveyance of Senior Notes and other communications by the Depositary to
  Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and
  by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners are
  governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory
  requirements as may be in effect from time to time.     
            
    Neither the Depositary nor Cede & Co. will consent or vote with respect
  to the Senior Notes. Under its usual procedures, the Depositary mails an
  Omnibus Proxy to the issuer as soon as possible after the record date. The
  Omnibus Proxy assigns Cede & Co.'s consenting or voting rights to those
  Direct Participants to whose accounts the Senior Notes are credited on the
  record date (identified in a listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).     
     
    Principal and interest payments on the Senior Notes will be made to the
  Depositary. The Depositary's practice is to credit Direct Participants'
  accounts on the payable date in accordance with their respective holdings
  shown on the Depositary's records unless the Depositary has reason to
  believe that it will not receive payment on the payable date. Payments by
  Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions
  and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the
  accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in "street name", and
  will be the responsibility of such Participant and not of the Depositary,
  the Paying Agent or the Company, subject to any statutory or regulatory
  requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of principal
  and interest to the Depositary is the responsibility of the Company or the
  Paying Agent, disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants shall be
  the responsibility of the Depositary, and disbursement of such payments to
  the Beneficial Owners shall be the responsibility of Direct and Indirect
  Participants.     
   
  Settlement for the Senior Notes will be made by Goldman, Sachs & Co. in
immediately available funds and all applicable payments of principal and
interest on the Senior Notes will be made by the Company in immediately
available funds.     
   
  Secondary trading in long-term notes and debentures of corporate issuers is
generally settled in clearing-house or next-day funds. In contrast, the Senior
Notes will trade in the Depositary's Same-Day Funds Settlement System until
maturity, and secondary market trading activity in the Senior Notes will
therefore be required by the Depositary to settle in immediately available
funds. No assurance can be given as to the effect, if any, of settlement in
immediately available funds on trading activity in the Senior Notes.     
          
  The information in this section concerning the Depositary and the
Depositary's book-entry system has been obtained from sources which the
Company believes to be reliable, but the Company takes no responsibility for
the accuracy thereof.     
   
  So long as the Depositary for the Global Security, or its nominee, is the
registered owner of the Global Security, the Depositary or its nominee, as the
case may be, will be considered the sole owner or Holder of the Senior Notes
represented by the Global Security for all purposes under the Indenture.
Except as set forth below, owners of beneficial interests in the Global
Security will not be entitled to have Senior Notes represented by the Global
Security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive
physical delivery of Senior Notes in definitive form and will not be
considered the owners or Holders thereof under the Indenture. Accordingly,
each person owning a beneficial interest in the Global Security must rely on
the procedures of the Depositary and, if such person is not a Participant,
those of the Participants through which such person owns its interest, in
order to exercise any rights of a Holder under the Indenture.     
 
                                     S-27
<PAGE>
 
          
  The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities
take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and
laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in the Global
Security.     
   
  Principal and interest payments on Senior Notes registered in the name of or
held by the Depositary or its nominee will be made to the Depositary or its
nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner or the Holder of the
Global Security representing such Senior Notes. Neither the Company, the
Paying Agent nor the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any
aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial
ownership interests in the Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or
reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.     
          
  If at any time the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or
unable to continue as Depositary or if at any time the Depositary shall no
longer be eligible under the Indenture, the Company shall appoint a successor
Depositary with respect to the Senior Notes. If a successor Depositary is not
appointed by the Company within 90 days after it receives such notice or
becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company will issue certificated
Senior Notes of like tenor, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate
principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security in
exchange for the Global Security.     
   
  The Company may at any time in its sole discretion determine that the Senior
Notes issued in global form shall no longer be represented by the Global
Security. In such event the Company will issue certificated Senior Notes of
like tenor, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate principal amount
equal to the principal amount of the Global Security in exchange for the
Global Security.     
       
  For other terms of the Senior Notes, see "Description of Debt Securities" in
the accompanying Prospectus.
 
                                 UNDERWRITING
   
  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement
and the related Pricing Agreement in respect of the Senior Notes, the Company
has agreed to sell to Goldman, Sachs & Co. ("Goldman Sachs"), and Goldman
Sachs has agreed to purchase, the entire principal amount of Senior Notes
offered hereby.     
 
  Under the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, Goldman Sachs
is committed to take and pay for all of the Senior Notes offered hereby, if
any are taken.
 
  Goldman Sachs proposes to offer the Senior Notes in part directly to the
public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of
this Prospectus Supplement, and in part to certain securities dealers at such
price less a concession of    % of the principal amount of the Senior Notes.
Goldman Sachs may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession not in
excess of    % of the principal amount of the Senior Notes to certain brokers
and dealers. After the Senior Notes are released for sale to the public, the
offering price and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by
Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs will pay Cooperative Funding Corporation an
advisory fee upon completion of this offering of the Senior Notes.
   
  The Senior Notes have been approved for listing on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol "FMLD 03", subject to official notice of issuance.
No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of any trading market for the
Senior Notes.     
 
                                     S-28
<PAGE>
 
   
  Settlement for the Senior Notes will be made by Goldman Sachs in immediately
available funds, and all secondary trading in the Senior Notes will settle in
immediately available funds. See "Description of the Senior Notes".     
 
  The Company has agreed to indemnify Goldman Sachs against certain
liabilities including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
  The validity of the Senior Notes will be passed upon for the Company by
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (a partnership including professional
corporations), New York, New York. Certain legal matters in connection with
the Senior Notes will be passed upon for Goldman Sachs by McDermott, Will &
Emery, Chicago, Illinois. McDermott, Will & Emery in the past has represented
and in the future may represent the Company on other matters. McDermott, Will
& Emery currently is acting as special counsel to assist the Company and its
trial counsel in connection with the pending income tax litigation relating to
Terra (see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations--Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources").
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and McDermott, Will & Emery each will
rely upon the opinion of Robert B. Terry, Esq., Vice President and General
Counsel of the Company, with respect to all matters of Kansas law.
 
                                     S-29
<PAGE>
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A         +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE   +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY  +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT        +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR   +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE      +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE    +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF  +
+ANY SUCH STATE.                                                               +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                 
              SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED FEBRUARY 16, 1996     
 
PROSPECTUS
                                  $200,000,000
                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.
 
                                DEBT SECURITIES
 
                                  -----------
 
  Farmland Industries, Inc. ("Farmland" or the "Company") may issue and sell
from time to time, in one or more series, up to an aggregate of $200,000,000 of
its debt securities (the "Debt Securities").
When a particular series of Debt Securities is offered, all specific terms of
the offering will be set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus (the
"Prospectus Supplement"), which will be delivered with the Prospectus. The
Prospectus Supplement will set forth with respect to each series of Debt
Securities: the designation and principal amount offered; the rate (or method
of calculation) and time of payment of interest, if any; the authorized
denominations; the maturity or maturities; the terms for a sinking, purchase or
analogous fund; the terms for redemption or early repayment, if any; the
purchase price and other terms of the offering; and any listing on a securities
exchange.
 
  This Prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of Debt Securities unless
accompanied by a Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                  -----------
 
THESE SECURITIES  HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED  OR DISAPPROVED BY THE  SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
 AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY  STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED  UPON THE
  ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY
  IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
                                  -----------
 
  The Debt Securities may be sold (i) through underwriting syndicates
represented by managing underwriters, or by underwriters without a syndicate,
which may include Goldman, Sachs & Co.; (ii) through agents designated from
time to time; or (iii) directly. The names of any underwriters or agents of the
Company involved in the sale of the Debt Securities in respect of which this
Prospectus is being delivered, any applicable commissions or discounts, and the
net proceeds to the Company from such sale are set forth in the Prospectus
Supplement.
 
                                  -----------
                    
                 The date of this Prospectus is    , 1996.     
<PAGE>
 
   
  IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF THE DEBT SECURITIES, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY
OVER-ALLOT OR EFFECT TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE
OF THE DEBT SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY AT LEVELS ABOVE THOSE WHICH MIGHT
OTHERWISE PREVAIL IN THE OPEN MARKET. SUCH TRANSACTIONS MAY BE EFFECTED ON THE
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE OR OTHERWISE. SUCH STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE
DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.     
 
                               ----------------
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
   
  The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Such reports and other information can be
inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
and at the following Regional Offices of the Commission: 500 West Madison
Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60661 and 7 World Trade Center, 13th Floor,
New York, NY 10048. Copies of such material can also be obtained from the
Public Reference Section of the Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. If any of the Debt
Securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, such material will be
available for inspection at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
at 11 Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10005.     
 
  This Prospectus constitutes a part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3
(together with all amendments, schedules and exhibits thereto, the
"Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). This Prospectus and
the accompanying Prospectus Supplement omit certain of the information
contained in the Registration Statement in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Commission. For further information with respect to the
Company and the Debt Securities, reference is made to the Registration
Statement, including the schedules and exhibits filed therewith. Statements
contained in this Prospectus and the accompanying Prospectus Supplement as to
the contents of certain documents are not necessarily complete, and, with
respect to each such document filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement or otherwise filed with the Commission, reference is made to the
copy of the document so filed. Each such statement is qualified in its
entirety by such reference.
 
                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
  The following documents heretofore filed by the Company with the Commission
are incorporated herein by reference:
     
  1. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31,
     1995 (the "1995 Form 10-K"); and     
     
  2. The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period
     ended November 30, 1995 (the "November 1995 Form 10-Q").     
         
  All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus or any
Prospectus Supplement and prior to the termination of the offering of the Debt
Securities shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus
and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any
statement contained in this Prospectus, in any Prospectus Supplement or in a
document incorporated or deemed
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
 
   
to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded for purposes of this Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or therein or in any subsequently
filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or
superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to
constitute a part of this Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement.     
   
  The Company will provide without charge to each person to whom a copy of
this Prospectus is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person,
a copy of any or all of the documents referred to above which have been or may
be incorporated by reference herein (other than exhibits to such documents
unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in such
documents). Requests for such copies should be directed to: Farmland
Industries, Inc., 3315 North Farmland Trafficway, Kansas City, Missouri 64116-
0005, telephone (816) 459-6000, Attention: John F. Berardi.     
 
                                  THE COMPANY
   
  Farmland is an agricultural farm supply and processing and marketing company
headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri that is primarily owned by its members
and operates on a cooperative basis. As of August 31, 1995, Farmland's
membership consisted of approximately 1,800 cooperative associations of
farmers and ranchers and 11,500 pork or beef producers or associations of such
producers. Founded originally in 1929, Farmland has grown from sales of
$310,000 during its first year of operation to over $7.2 billion during 1995.
Members are entitled to receive patronage refunds distributed by Farmland from
its member-sourced annual net earnings. See "Business--Patronage Refunds and
Distribution of Net Earnings".     
   
  Farmland was formally incorporated in Kansas in 1931. Its principal
executive offices are at 3315 North Farmland Trafficway, Kansas City, Missouri
64116-0005 (telephone 816-459-6000).     
   
  Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) all references herein to
"Farmland" or the "Company" are to Farmland Industries, Inc. and its
consolidated subsidiaries, (ii) all references herein to "year" or "years" are
to fiscal years ended August 31, (iii) all references herein to "tons" are to
United States short tons, and (iv) all references herein to "membership" or
"members" are to persons eligible to receive patronage refunds from Farmland,
i.e., Farmland's voting members, associate members, and other persons
("patrons") with which Farmland has a currently effective patronage refund
agreement.     
       
MEMBERSHIP
 
  Membership requirements are determined by Farmland's Articles of
Incorporation and the Board of Directors of Farmland (the "Board of
Directors").
 
 VOTING MEMBERS
   
  As of November 30, 1995, Farmland's requirements for voting membership were
as follows: (1) Voting membership is limited to (a) farmers' and ranchers'
cooperative associations which have purchased farm supplies from or provided
grain to Farmland during Farmland's two most recently completed years, and (b)
producers of hogs and cattle or associations of such producers which have
provided hogs or cattle to Farmland during Farmland's two most recent years.
(2) Voting members must maintain a minimum investment of $1,000 in par value
of Farmland common shares. (3) A cooperative must have open membership (an
open membership cooperative is open to anyone; i.e., non-discriminatory),
limit voting to agricultural producers and conduct a majority of its business
with voting producers.     
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
 
 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
   
  Farmland's associate members have all the rights of membership except that
they do not have voting rights.     
   
  As of November 30, 1995, Farmland's requirements for associate membership
were: (1) Associate members must maintain a minimum investment of $1,000 in par
value of Farmland associate member common shares and (2) meet any one of the
following four criteria: (a) be a person meeting the requirements for voting
membership; (b) be a non-cooperative business entity owned 100%, directly or
indirectly, by Farmland or Farmland's members or associate members; (c) be an
association, other than one owned 100% by Farmland or Farmland's voting members
or associate members, which conducts business on a cooperative basis and has a
minimum of 25 active members; and (d) be a hog and/or cattle feeding business
which derives a majority of earned income from such feeding business and agrees
to provide Farmland with the information it needs to pay patronage refunds from
its hog and/or cattle marketing operations to members or other associate
members that are eligible to receive such refunds.     
       
       
       
                                    BUSINESS
 
GENERAL
   
  The Company is one of the largest cooperatives in the United States in terms
of revenues. The Company has endeavored to develop a significant presence in
international markets. In 1995, the Company had exports to approximately 70
countries, and derived 47% of its grain revenues from export sales or sales to
domestic customers for export. In 1995, the Company sold more than 2.5 million
tons of wheat to China, which management believes constituted the largest wheat
sale ever by a private U.S. enterprise to a foreign country. Substantially all
of the Company's foreign grain sales are denominated in U.S. Dollars.     
          
  The Company conducts business primarily in two operating areas: agricultural
inputs and outputs. On the input side of the agricultural industry, the Company
operates as a farm supply cooperative. On the output side of the agricultural
industry, the Company operates as a processing and marketing cooperative.     
   
  The Company's farm supply operations consist of three principal product
divisions--petroleum, crop production and feed. Principal products of the
petroleum division are refined fuels, propane, by-products of petroleum
refining and car, truck and tractor tires, batteries and accessories. Principal
products of the crop production division are nitrogen-, phosphate- and potash-
based fertilizers, and, through the Company's ownership in WILFARM (a 50%-owned
venture formed in 1995) ("WILFARM"), insecticides, herbicides and other plant
protection products. Principal products of the feed division include swine,
dairy, pet, beef, poultry, mineral and specialty feeds, feed ingredients and
supplements, animal health products and livestock services. Over 50% of the
Company's farm supply products sold in 1995 were produced in plants owned by
the Company or operated by the Company under long-term lease arrangements.
Approximately 64% of the Company's farm supply products sold in 1995 was sold
at wholesale to farm cooperative associations which are members of Farmland.
These farm cooperatives distribute products primarily to farmers and ranchers
in states in the corn belt and the wheat belt who utilize the products in the
production of farm crops and livestock.     
   
  On the output side, the Company's processing and marketing operations include
the processing of pork and beef, and the marketing of fresh pork, processed
pork, fresh beef and processed beef, and the storage and marketing of grain. In
December 1995, the Company, through a 79%-owned subsidiary, commenced
processing wheat into wheat gluten for use primarily in the commercial baking
and pet food industries and starch for numerous industrial purposes. The
Company anticipates that     
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
 
   
such wheat processing operations will be fully operational during 1996. In
1995, approximately 68% of the hogs processed and 43% of the grain marketed
were supplied to the Company by its members. Substantially all of the Company's
pork and beef products sold in 1995 were operated in plants owned by the
Company.     
   
  No material part of the business of any segment of the Company is dependent
on a single customer or a few customers. Financial information about the
Company's industry segments is presented in Note 12 of the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements included in the 1995 Form 10-K.     
   
  The Company competes for market share with numerous participants (including
other cooperatives) with various levels of vertical integration, product and
geographical diversification, sizes and types of operations. In the petroleum
industry, competitors include major oil companies, independent refiners, other
cooperatives and product brokers. Competitors in the crop production industry
include global producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers (some of which
are cooperatives) and product importers and brokers. The feed, grain, pork and
beef industries are comprised of a large variety of competitive participants.
    
PETROLEUM
 
 MARKETING
   
  The principal product of this business segment is refined fuels.
Approximately 66% of refined fuels product sales in 1995 resulted from
transactions with Farmland's members. The balance of the Company's refined
fuels product sales was principally through retailing chains in urban areas.
Other petroleum products include lube oil, grease, by-products of petroleum
refining and car, truck and tractor tires, batteries and accessories. Sales of
petroleum products as a percent of the Company's consolidated sales for 1993,
1994 and 1995 were 19%, 13% and 12%, respectively.     
 
  Competitive methods in the petroleum industry include service, product
quality and pricing. However, in refined fuel markets, price competition is
most dominant. Many participants in the industry engage in one or more of the
industry's processes (oil production and transportation, refining, wholesale
distribution and retailing). The Company participates in the industry primarily
as a midcontinent refiner and as a wholesale distributor of petroleum products.
 
 PRODUCTION
   
  The Company owns refineries at Coffeyville, Kansas and at Phillipsburg,
Kansas. The refinery at Phillipsburg, Kansas is closed. A loading terminal
located at the Phillipsburg refinery remains in operation. The carrying value
of this refinery at November 30, 1995 was approximately $1.5 million. The
Company is evaluating alternative uses for this facility and cannot at this
time determine the extent of any losses, if any, related to the closure of the
refinery, but such losses are expected not to be significant in relation to
Farmland's financial position.     
   
  Production volume for 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as follows:     
 
<TABLE>     
<CAPTION>
                                                 BARRELS OF CRUDE OIL PROCESSED
                                                         DAILY AVERAGE
                                                   BASED ON 365 DAYS PER YEAR
                                                --------------------------------
   LOCATION                                        1993       1994       1995
   --------                                     ---------- ---------- ----------
                                                           (BARRELS)
   <S>                                          <C>        <C>        <C>
   Coffeyville, Kansas.........................     53,000     64,211     66,965
</TABLE>    
   
  The Coffeyville refinery produced 20 million barrels of motor fuels and
heating fuels in 1993, 25 million barrels in 1994, and 26 million barrels in
1995. Approximately 67% of petroleum product sales in 1995 represented products
produced at this location.     
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
 
   
  Management terminated negotiations with a potential purchaser of the
Coffeyville refinery in 1994 when final sale terms were determined not to be in
the Company's best interest. See Note 17 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements included in the 1995 Form 10-K. In July 1994, the Company acquired a
mothballed refinery in Texas which is being reassembled at the Coffeyville
refinery site. When reassembly is complete in 1996, crude oil processing
capacity is expected to increase.     
 
 RAW MATERIALS
 
  Farmland's refinery at Coffeyville, Kansas is designed to process high
quality crude oil with low sulfur content ("sweet crude"). Competition for
sweet crude and declining production in proximity of the refinery has increased
its cost of raw material relative to such cost for coastal refineries with the
capacity for processing and access to lower quality crude grades. The Company's
pipeline/trucking gathering system collects approximately 27% of its crude oil
supplies from producers near its refineries. Additional supplies are acquired
from diversified sources. Modifications to the Coffeyville refinery to increase
its capability to process efficiently crude oil streams containing greater
amounts of lower quality crude are continuing.
 
  Crude oil is purchased approximately 45 to 60 days in advance of the time the
related refined products are to be marketed. Certain of these advance crude oil
purchase transactions, as well as fixed price refined products advance sales
contracts, are hedged utilizing petroleum futures contracts.
 
  During periods of volatile crude oil price changes or in extremely short
crude supply conditions, the Company's petroleum operations could be affected
to a greater extent than petroleum operations of more vertically integrated
competitors with crude oil supplies available from owned producing reserves. In
past periods of relatively severe crude oil shortages, various governmental
regulations such as price controls and mandatory crude oil allocating programs
have been implemented to spread the adversity among all industry participants.
There can be no assurance as to what, if any, government action would be taken
if a crude oil shortage were to develop.
 
CROP PRODUCTION
 
 MARKETING
   
  The Company's crop production business segment includes nitrogen-, phosphate-
, and potash-based fertilizer products ("plant nutrients") and, through the
Company's ownership in the WILFARM joint venture, crop protection products such
as insecticides, herbicides and mixed chemicals. Sales of the crop production
business segment as a percent of consolidated sales for 1993, 1994 and 1995
were 19%, 17% and 16%, respectively.     
   
  Competition in the plant nutrient industry is dominated by price
considerations. However, during the spring and fall plant nutrient application
seasons, farming activities intensify and delivery service capacity is a
significant competitive factor. Therefore, the Company maintains a significant
capital investment in distribution assets and a seasonal investment in
inventory to support its manufacturing operations. The Company owns, leases or
has the right to use various plant nutrient custom dry blending, liquid mixing,
storage and distribution facilities throughout its trade territory.     
 
  The Company's sales of crop production products are primarily at wholesale to
local cooperative associations (members and customers of the Company). In view
of this member/customer relationship, management believes that, with respect to
such customers, the Company has a slight competitive advantage.
   
  Domestic competition, mainly from other regional cooperative and integrated
crop production companies, is intense due to customers' sophisticated buying
tendencies and production strategies that     
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
 
focus on costs and service. Also, foreign competition exists from producers of
crop production products manufactured in countries with lower cost natural gas
supplies (the principal raw material in nitrogen-based fertilizer products).
In certain cases, foreign producers of fertilizer for export to the United
States may be subsidized by their respective governments.
 
 PRODUCTION
   
  The Company manufactures nitrogen-based crop production products. Based on
total production capacity, the Company is one of the largest producers of
anhydrous ammonia fertilizer in the United States. The Company owns and
produces nitrogen-based products at four anhydrous ammonia plants and operates
three anhydrous ammonia plants under long-term lease arrangements.     
 
  The Company owns and produces phosphate-based products at one plant and has
50% ownership interest in two ventures which produce phosphate-based products.
   
  Nitrogen fertilizer production information for 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as
follows:     
 
<TABLE>     
<CAPTION>
                                                       ACTUAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION
                                                          ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
                                                      --------------------------
   PLANT LOCATION                                       1993     1994     1995
   --------------                                     -------- -------- --------
                                                                (TONS)
   <S>                                                <C>      <C>      <C>
   Lawrence, Kansas..................................  375,000  443,000  430,000
   Dodge City, Kansas................................  241,000  257,000  276,000
   Fort Dodge, Iowa..................................  232,000  256,000  258,000
   Beatrice, Nebraska................................  243,000  277,000  281,000
   Enid, Oklahoma (2 plants)*........................  969,000  985,000  998,000
   Pollock, Louisiana*...............................  490,000  526,000  497,000
</TABLE>    
- --------
   
* Leased plants.     
   
  Natural gas is the major raw material used in production of synthetic
anhydrous ammonia. Synthetic anhydrous ammonia is the basic component of other
commercially produced nitrogen-based crop production products including urea,
ammonium nitrate, urea ammonium nitrate ("UAN") solutions and other products.
The Company produces such value-added nitrogen-based products at four plants.
Production of such value-added products from anhydrous ammonia for 1993, 1994
and 1995 was as follows:     
 
<TABLE>     
<CAPTION>
                                                       ACTUAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION
                                                      --------------------------
   PLANT LOCATION                                       1993     1994     1995
   --------------                                     -------- -------- --------
                                                                (TONS)
   <S>                                                <C>      <C>      <C>
   Lawrence, Kansas..................................  661,000  654,000  719,000
   Enid, Oklahoma....................................  473,000  433,000  473,000
   Dodge City, Kansas................................  205,000  163,000  202,000
   Beatrice, Nebraska................................  166,000  162,000  165,000
</TABLE>    
 
  Ammonia also is used to react with phosphoric acid to produce phosphoric
acid products such as liquid mixed fertilizer, diammonium phosphate and
monoammonium phosphate.
 
  The Company owns a phosphate chemical plant located in Joplin, Missouri and
land in Florida which contains an estimated 40 million tons of phosphate rock.
The Joplin plant produces ammonium phosphate which is combined in varying
ratios with muriate of potash to produce 12 different fertilizer grade
products. In addition, feed grade phosphate (dicalcium phosphate) is produced
at this facility.
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
 
   
  Production at the Joplin plant for 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as follows:     
 
<TABLE>     
<CAPTION>
                                                       ACTUAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION
                                                      --------------------------
   PRODUCT                                              1993     1994     1995
   -------                                            -------- -------- --------
                                                                (TONS)
   <S>                                                <C>      <C>      <C>
   Ammonium Phosphate................................   72,000   75,000   64,000
   Feed Grade Phosphate..............................  141,000  157,000  159,000
</TABLE>    
   
  The Company and Norsk Hydro a.s. own a joint venture, Farmland Hydro, L.P.
("Hydro"), which is a manufacturer of phosphate fertilizer products for
distribution to international markets. Hydro operates a phosphate plant at
Green Bay, Florida and owns phosphate rock reserves located in Hardee County,
Florida which contain an estimated 40 million tons of phosphate rock. The
Company provides management and administrative services and Norsk Hydro a.s.
provides marketing services to Hydro. The joint venture's plant produces
phosphoric acid products such as super acid, diammonium phosphate and
monoammonium phosphate. Annual production in tons of such products for 1993,
1994 and 1995 was 1,216,000, 1,437,000 and 1,471,000, respectively. The
phosphate rock required to operate the joint venture's plant is presently
purchased from outside suppliers and adequate supplies of sulfur are available
from several producers.     
       
  Plans for development of the phosphate reserves owned by the Company and
Hydro have not been established in view of the availability of adequate
supplies of phosphate rock from alternative sources.
   
  The Company and J.R. Simplot Company own a joint venture, SF Phosphates
Limited Company, which operates a phosphate mine located in Vernal, Utah, a
phosphate chemical plant located in Rock Springs, Wyoming and a 96-mile
pipeline connecting the mine to the plant. The plant produces monoammonium
phosphate and super acid with annual production in tons for 1993, 1994 and
1995 of 440,000, 465,000 and 451,000, respectively. Under the joint venture
agreement, the Company and J.R. Simplot Company purchase the production of the
joint venture in proportion to their ownership.     
   
  The Company and Mississippi Chemical Corporation have entered into a letter
of intent to form a joint venture to develop, construct and operate a 1,850
metric ton per day ammonia production facility at LaBrea in the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago. The partners expect the plant to be funded by a
combination of nonrecourse project financing and equity. The Company expects
to fund its equity position in the project (estimated to amount to
approximately $67.0 million) from currently available sources of capital.The
joint venture has given the general contractor permission to begin engineering
and construction of the LaBrea plant. Although production start up is expected
early in calendar year 1998, there can be no assurance that production will
commence at such time. See "--Capital Expenditures and Investments in
Ventures".     
 
 RAW MATERIALS
 
  Natural gas, the largest single component of nitrogen-based fertilizer
production, is purchased directly from natural gas producers. Natural gas
purchase contracts are generally market sensitive and contract prices change
as the market price for natural gas changes. The Company's management believes
that the flexible pricing attributes of its gas supply contracts, without
relinquishing rights to long-term supplies, are essential to its competitive
position. In addition, the Company has a hedging program which utilizes
natural gas futures and options to reduce risks of market price volatility.
 
  Natural gas is delivered to the Company's facilities under pipeline
transportation service agreements which have been negotiated with each plant's
delivering pipeline. Natural gas delivery to the plants could be curtailed
under regulations of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission if the
pipeline's capacity were required to serve priority users such as residences,
hospitals and schools. In
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
 
such case, production could be curtailed. No significant production has been
lost because of curtailments in transportation, and no such curtailment is
anticipated.
 
FEED
 
  Products in the Company's feed line include swine, beef, poultry, dairy, pet,
mineral and specialty feeds, feed ingredients and supplements, animal health
products and livestock services.
   
  This business segment's sales were approximately 10%, 8% and 6% of
consolidated sales for the years 1993,1994 and 1995, respectively.
Approximately 51% of the feed business segment's sales in 1995 was attributable
to products manufactured in the Company's feed mills. The Company operates feed
mixing plants at 19 locations throughout its territory, an animal protein and
premix plant located in Eagle Grove, Iowa, a premix plant in Marion, Ohio and a
pet food plant in Muncie, Kansas. A new dairy feed mill is under construction
in Artesia, New Mexico.     
   
  Feed production was as follows:     
 
<TABLE>     
<CAPTION>
                                                     ACTUAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                     1993      1994      1995
                                                   --------- --------- ---------
                                                              (TONS)
   <S>                                             <C>       <C>       <C>
   22 feed mills (combined)....................... 1,030,000 1,118,000 1,112,000
</TABLE>    
       
  The Company conducts research in genetic selection, breeding, animal health
and nutrition at its research facility in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Through local
cooperative associations of farmers and ranchers, the Company participates in
livestock and hog services designed to produce lean, feed-efficient animals and
help livestock producers select feed formulations which maximize weight gain.
   
FOOD PROCESSING AND MARKETING     
   
 PORK     
   
 PROCESSING     
   
  The Company's pork processing and marketing operations are conducted through
Farmland Foods, Inc. ("Foods"), a 99%-owned subsidiary, which operates eight
food processing facilities. Meat processing facilities at Springfield,
Massachusetts, Carey, Ohio, and New Riegel, Ohio produce Italian-style
specialty meats and ham products. A facility at Wichita, Kansas processes pork
into fresh sausage, and pork, beef and chicken into hot dogs, dry sausage and
other luncheon meats. A facility in Denison, Iowa and one in Crete, Nebraska
function as pork abattoirs and have additional capabilities for processing pork
into bacon, ham and smoked meats. An additional facility at Monmouth, Illinois
was purchased in February 1993. These facilities also process fresh pork into
primal cuts for additional processing into fabricated meats which are sold to
commercial users and to retail grocery chains, as well as case-ready and label-
branded cuts for retail distribution. The eighth plant located in Carroll, Iowa
is primarily a packaging facility for canned or cook-in-bag products. A
facility at San Leandro, California was closed on September 1, 1993.     
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
 
   
  Production for 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as follows:     
 
<TABLE>     
<CAPTION>
                                                    ACTUAL WEEKLY PRODUCTION
                                                --------------------------------
   LOCATION                                        1993       1994       1995
   --------                                     ---------- ---------- ----------
                                                            (POUNDS)
   <S>                                          <C>        <C>        <C>
   Crete, Nebraska.............................  2,800,000  2,800,000  3,100,000
   Denison, Iowa...............................  2,600,000  2,700,000  2,800,000
   Wichita, Kansas.............................  1,500,000  1,900,000  2,200,000
   Monmouth, Illinois(a).......................  1,400,000  1,400,000  1,900,000
   Carroll, Iowa...............................  1,200,000  1,100,000  1,400,000
   Springfield, Massachusetts..................    650,000    750,000    725,000
   Carey/Riegel, Ohio..........................    225,000    275,000    425,000
   San Leandro, California(b)..................    250,000        -0-        -0-
- --------
(a) Acquired February 1993
(b) Closed September 1, 1993
 
<CAPTION>
                                                 ACTUAL WEEKLY HEAD SLAUGHTERED
                                                --------------------------------
                                                   1993       1994       1995
                                                ---------- ---------- ----------
   <S>                                          <C>        <C>        <C>
   Crete, Nebraska.............................     45,000     46,000     46,000
   Denison, Iowa...............................     37,000     40,000     41,000
   Monmouth, Illinois..........................     25,000     27,000     33,000
</TABLE>    
 
 MARKETING
   
  Products marketed include fresh pork, fabricated pork, smoked meats, ham,
bacon, fresh sausage, dry sausage, hot dogs, and packing house by-products.
These products are marketed under the Farmland, Maple River, Marco Polo,
Carando, Regal and other brand names. Product distribution is through national
and regional retail food chains, food service accounts, distributors and
international marketing activities.     
 
  Pork marketing is a highly competitive industry with many suppliers of live
hogs, fresh pork and processed pork products. Other meat products such as
beef, poultry and fish also compete directly with pork products. Competitive
methods in this segment include price, product quality, product
differentiation and customer service.
   
BEEF     
   
 PROCESSING     
          
  The Company's beef processing and marketing operations are conducted through
National Beef Packing Company, L.P. ("NBPC"), which was formed in April 1993,
and at August 31, 1995, was 68%-owned by Farmland (which ownership was
increased thereafter to approximately 76%). The processing facilities for
these beef operations are located in Liberal, Kansas and Dodge City, Kansas.
These facilities function as beef abattoirs and have capabilities for
processing fresh beef into primal cuts for additional processing into
fabricated or boxed beef. During 1994 and 1995, the two plants slaughtered an
aggregate of 1.7 million and 1.9 million cattle, respectively.     
       
 MARKETING
   
  Products in the Company's beef processing and marketing operations include
fresh beef, boxed beef and packing house by-products. Product distribution is
through national and regional retail and food service customers, as well as
through Farmland's Black Angus Beef and other brand names. There is also a
limited amount of international product distribution.     
 
 
                                      10
<PAGE>
 
  Beef marketing is a highly competitive industry with many suppliers of live
cattle, fresh beef and processed beef. Other meat products such as pork,
poultry and fish also compete directly with beef products. Competitive methods
in this industry include price, product quality and customer service.
 
GRAIN MARKETING
       
  The Company markets wheat, milo, corn, soybeans, barley and oats, with wheat
constituting the majority of the marketing business. The Company purchases
grain from members and nonmembers located in the Midwestern part of the United
States. Once the grain is purchased, the Company assumes all risks related to
selling such grain. Since grain is a commodity, pricing of grain in the United
States is principally conducted through bids based on the commodity futures
markets.
   
  The Company is exposed to risk of loss in the market value of its grain
inventory and fixed price purchase contracts if grain market prices decrease,
and is exposed to loss on its fixed price sales contracts if grain market
prices increase. To reduce the price change risk associated with holding
positions in grain, the Company takes opposite and offsetting positions by
entering into grain commodity futures contracts. Fixed price purchase and
sales contracts, and offsetting positions in the futures market, have terms of
up to one year. The Company's strategy is to maintain hedged positions on as
close to 100% of its position in grain as is possible. During 1994, and 1995,
the Company maintained hedges on approximately 95.3% and 97.9%, respectively,
of its grain positions. Based on total assets at the beginning and end of
1995, the average market value of grain positions not hedged during the year
amounted to less than 1% of the Company's average total assets. While hedging
activities reduce the risk of loss from changing market values of grain, such
activities also limit the gain potential which otherwise could result from
changes in market prices of grain.     
   
  In 1995, approximately 47% of grain revenues were from export sales or sales
to domestic customers for export. The five largest purchasers during 1995 in
terms of total revenues from grain operations were China (15%), Mexico (7%),
Israel (6%), Egypt (6%), and Jordan (2%). In 1993 and 1994, export sales or
sales to domestic customers for export accounted for approximately 60% and
37%, respectively, of consolidated grain revenues. A majority of the grain
export sales are under price subsidies or credit arrangements guaranteed by
the United States government, primarily through programs administered by the
United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA"). Export-related sales are
subject to international political upheavals and changes in other countries'
trade policies which are not within the control of the United States or the
Company. The Company's foreign sales of grain generally are denominated in
U.S. Dollars.     
   
  In December 1995, the Company, through a 79%-owned subsidiary, commenced
processing wheat into wheat gluten for use primarily in the commercial baking
and pet food industries and starch for numerous industrial purposes. The
Company anticipates that such wheat processing operations will be fully
operational during 1996.     
 
 TRADIGRAIN
   
  In December 1993, the Company acquired all the common stock of seven
international grain trading companies (collectively referred to as
"Tradigrain"). Tradigrain imports, exports and ships all major grains from the
major producing countries to final consumers which are either governmental
entities, private companies or other major grain companies.     
   
  Tradigrain's purchases of grain are made on a cash basis against
presentation of documents. Its sales of grain are mostly done against
confirmed letters of credit at sight or on 180/360 days deferred basis. For
purposes of the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements, on Tradigrain
transactions, the Company recognizes as revenues net margin on grain traded
rather than the value of the commodities involved in the trades.     
 
 
                                      11
<PAGE>
 
 PROPERTY
   
  The Company owns or leases 30 inland elevators and one export elevator with a
total capacity of approximately 177,045,000 bushels of grain. The location,
type, number and aggregate capacity in bushels of the elevators at November 30,
1995 were as follows:     
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      AGGREGATE
   LOCATION                                              TYPE  NUMBER  CAPACITY
   --------                                             ------ ------ ----------
   <S>                                                  <C>    <C>    <C>
   Amarillo, Texas..................................... Inland    1    3,226,000
   Black, Texas........................................ Inland    1    1,418,000
   Commerce City, Colorado............................. Inland    1    3,234,000
   Darrouzett, Texas................................... Inland    1    1,277,000
   Enid, Oklahoma...................................... Inland    4   50,300,000
   Fairfax, Kansas..................................... Inland    1   10,047,000
   Galveston, Texas.................................... Export    1    3,253,000
   Hutchinson, Kansas.................................. Inland    3   25,268,000
   Idaho and Utah...................................... Inland   11    9,825,000
   Lincoln, Nebraska................................... Inland    1    5,099,000
   Omaha, Nebraska..................................... Inland    2    4,266,000
   Saginaw, Texas...................................... Inland    2   37,274,000
   Topeka, Kansas...................................... Inland    1   12,055,000
   Wichita, Kansas..................................... Inland    1   10,503,000
</TABLE>
 
RESEARCH
 
  The Company operates a research and development farm near Bonner Springs,
Kansas where many aspects of animal nutrition are studied. The research is
directed toward improving the nutrition and feeding practices of livestock and
pets.
          
  Expenditures related to Company-sponsored product and process improvements
amounted to $3.3 million, $2.7 million and $2.3 million for the years ended
1993, 1994 and 1995, respectively.     
   
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND INVESTMENTS IN VENTURES     
          
  In 1995, the Company made capital expenditures of $124.7 million. These
expenditures related principally to the ongoing expansion of the Coffeyville,
Kansas refinery to a production level of 90,000 barrels per day. In addition,
NBPC's facility in Liberal, Kansas was undergoing major expansion as was Foods'
pork processing facility in Crete, Nebraska. Expenditures of the crop
production division included upgrading several existing facilities to improve
gas efficiencies and expanding urea ammonium nutrient facilities in Lawrence,
Kansas and at several storage terminals. In 1995, the Company, through a 79%-
owned subsidiary, was also constructing a wheat gluten plant, which commenced
operations in December 1995.     
   
  The Company plans expenditures for capital additions, improvements and
investments in ventures of approximately $379.4 million during the years 1996
and 1997 as described in the following paragraphs. Of this amount, the Company
plans expenditures of $315.1 million for capital additions and improvements and
$64.3 million for investments in ventures.     
   
  Capital expenditures and investments planned for the crop production business
segment total $150.3 million and include: an investment in a venture organized
to construct and operate an     
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
 
   
anhydrous ammonia plant in The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, expansion of
an anhydrous ammonia plant and construction of a UAN plant (both in Fort
Dodge, Iowa) and expenditures for operating efficiencies, environmental and
safety issues and for operating necessities or betterments. See "--Crop
Production".     
   
  Capital expenditures and investments planned for the feed business segment
total $11.9 million and include an additional investment in a venture with
Alliance Farms Cooperative Association and expenditures for feed mill and
livestock production efficiencies, operating necessities and replacements.
       
  Capital expenditures and investments planned for the petroleum business
segment total $94.9 million and are to complete the expansion of daily crude
oil processing capacity at the Coffeyville, Kansas refinery to 90,000 barrels
per day and for operating necessities, increased operating efficiency and for
environmental and safety issues.     
   
  Capital expenditures and investments of approximately $85.3 million are
planned for the food processing and marketing business segment. These
expenditures include an expansion of NBPC's facility at Liberal, Kansas, the
Crete, Nebraska and Wichita, Kansas plants and operational improvement and
replacements.     
   
  Capital expenditures and investments of approximately $6.7 million planned
for the grain business segment are mainly for expansion and replacements.     
   
  Capital expenditures and investments of $30.3 million are planned for the
other operations and corporate groups. These expenditures include upgrades of
management information services. The remaining expenditures are planned for
operating necessities and improvements.     
   
  The Company intends to fund its capital program with cash from operations or
through borrowings. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations--Financial Condition, Liquidity and
Capital Resources" in the accompanying Prospectus Supplement. Of the foregoing
planned capital expenditures and investments in ventures, $47.0 million were
made in 1996 (through November 30, 1995).     
       
MATTERS INVOLVING THE ENVIRONMENT
 
  The Company is subject to various stringent federal, state and local
environmental laws and regulations, including those governing the use,
storage, discharge and disposal of hazardous materials as the Company uses
hazardous substances and generates hazardous wastes in the ordinary course of
its manufacturing process. The Company recognizes liabilities related to
remediation of contaminated properties when the related costs are probable and
can be reasonably estimated. Estimates of these costs are based upon currently
available facts, existing technology, undiscounted site specific costs and
currently enacted laws and regulations. In reporting environmental
liabilities, no offset is made for potential recoveries. Such liabilities
include estimates of the Company's share of costs attributable to potentially
responsible parties ("PRPs") which are insolvent or otherwise unable to pay.
All liabilities are monitored and adjusted regularly as new facts or changes
in law or technology occur.
   
  The Company wholly or jointly owns or operates 56 manufacturing properties
and has potential responsibility for environmental conditions at a number of
former manufacturing facilities and at waste disposal facilities operated by
third parties. The Company is investigating or remediating contamination at 28
properties. The Company has also been identified as a PRP under the federal
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
("CERCLA") at various National Priority List sites and has unresolved
liability with respect to the past disposal of hazardous substances at five
such sites. Such laws may impose joint and several liability on certain
statutory classes of persons for the costs of investigation and remediation of
contaminated properties, regardless of fault or the legality of the original
disposal. These persons include the present and former owners or operators of
a contaminated property, and companies that generated, disposed of, or
arranged for the disposal of hazardous substances found at the property.
During 1994, 1995 and through the three months ended November 30, 1995, the
Company paid approximately $1.4 million, $3.2 million and $.6 million,
respectively, for environmental investigation and remediation.     
 
                                      13
<PAGE>
 
   
  The Company currently is aware of probable obligations for environmental
matters at 35 properties. As of November 30, 1995, the Company has made an
environmental accrual of $18.5 million. The Company periodically reviews and,
as appropriate, revises its environmental accruals. Based on current
information and regulatory requirements, the Company believes that the
accruals established for environmental expenditures are adequate.     
   
  The Company's actual final costs of addressing certain environmental matters
are not quantifiable, and therefore have not been accrued, because such
matters are in preliminary stages and the timing, extent and costs of various
actions which governmental authorities may require are currently unknown.
Management also is aware of other environmental matters for which there is a
reasonable possibility that the Company will incur costs to resolve. It is
possible that the costs of resolution of the matters described in this
paragraph may exceed the liabilities which, in the opinion of management, are
probable and which costs are reasonably estimable at November 30, 1995. In the
opinion of management, it is reasonably possible for such costs to be
approximately an additional $22.2 million.     
   
  Under the Resource Conservation Recovery Act of 1976 ("RCRA"), the Company
has five closure and five post-closure plans in place for six locations.
Closure and post-closure plans also are in place for three landfills and two
injection wells as required by state regulations. Operations are being
conducted at these locations and the Company does not plan to terminate such
operations in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the Company has not accrued
these environmental exit costs. The Company accrues these liabilities when
plans for termination of plant operations have been made. Such closure and
post-closure costs are estimated to be $5.1 million at November 30, 1995 (and
are in addition to the $22.2 million discussed in the preceding paragraph).
       
  The Company is currently involved in three administrative proceedings
brought by Region VII of the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") with
respect to alleged violations under the Clean Air Act, the Emergency Planning
and Community Right-to-Know Act and RCRA at the Coffeyville refinery. The
Company is currently negotiating with the EPA concerning these matters and
believes that such negotiations may result in compromise settlements,
including the possible implementation of a Supplemental Environmental Project
in connection with the Clean Air Act proceeding. Absent such settlements, the
Company may contest the EPA's allegations. Management's estimate of probable
civil fines and penalties for these three proceedings has been included in the
environmental accrual discussed above.     
 
  Specifically, the three administrative proceedings are described as follows:
 
  (1) The Company is a party to an administrative enforcement action brought
      by Region VII of the EPA which alleges violations of the Emergency
      Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the release reporting
      requirements of CERCLA at its Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. This
      proceeding involves alleged violations of release reporting
      requirements and seeks a civil penalty in the amount of $350,000.
 
  (2) The Company is a party to an administrative enforcement action brought
      by Region VII of the EPA which alleges violations of RCRA at its
      Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. In this proceeding, the EPA has proposed
      a civil penalty in the amount of approximately $1.4 million.
 
  (3) The Company has been informed by the U.S. Department of Justice of its
      intent to bring an enforcement action alleging certain violations of
      the Clean Air Act at its Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. The U.S.
      Department of Justice has informed the Company that it will seek a
      civil penalty of at least $1.6 million.
   
  Protection of the environment requires the Company to incur expenditures for
equipment or processes, which expenditures may impact the Company's future net
income. However, the Company does not anticipate that its competitive position
will be adversely affected by such expenditures or by laws and regulations
enacted to protect the environment. Environmental expenditures are capitalized
when such expenditures provide future economic benefits. In 1994, 1995 and
through the three months ended November 30, 1995, the Company had capital
expenditures of approximately $2.6     
 
                                      14
<PAGE>
 
   
million, $4.7 million and $1.2 million, respectively, to prevent future
discharges into the environment. The majority of such expenditures was for
improvements at the Coffeyville refinery. Management believes the Company
currently is in substantial compliance with existing environmental rules and
regulations.     
 
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
 
  The Company's business is conducted within a legal environment created by
numerous federal, state and local laws which have been enacted to protect the
public's interest by promoting fair trade practices, safety, health and
welfare. The Company's operating procedures conform to the intent of these
laws and management believes that the Company currently is in compliance with
all such laws, the violation of which could have a material adverse effect on
the Company.
 
  Certain policies may be implemented from time to time by the USDA, the
Department of Energy or other governmental agencies which may impact the
demands of farmers and ranchers for the Company's products or which may impact
the methods by which certain of the Company's operations are conducted. Such
policies may impact the Company's farm supply and marketing operations.
 
  Management is not aware of any newly implemented or pending policies having
a significant impact or which may have a significant impact on operations of
the Company.
 
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
   
  At August 31, 1995, the Company had approximately 12,700 employees.
Approximately 43% of the Company's employees were represented by unions having
national affiliations. The Company's relationship with employees is considered
to be generally satisfactory. No labor strikes or work stoppages within the
last three fiscal years have had a materially adverse effect on the Company's
operating results. Current labor contracts expire on various dates through May
1998. There are no wage re-openers in any of the collective bargaining
agreements.     
 
PATRONAGE REFUNDS AND DISTRIBUTION OF NET EARNINGS
 
  For purposes of this section, (1) annual earnings for 1994 and earlier years
means earnings before income taxes determined in accordance with federal
income tax law, and (2) annual earnings for 1995 and after means earnings
before income taxes determined in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles.
 
  Farmland operates on a cooperative basis. In accordance with its bylaws,
Farmland returns the member-sourced portion of its annual net earnings to its
members as a patronage refund. Each member's portion of the annual patronage
refund is determined by the quantity or value of business transacted by the
member with Farmland during the year for which the patronage is paid in
comparison with Farmland's total member-sourced earnings for such year in the
patronage allocation unit for which the patronage is paid.
   
  Generally, a portion of the annual patronage refund is returned in cash, and
for the balance of the patronage refund (the "non-cash portion") the members
receive Farmland common shares, associate member common shares or capital
credits (the equity type received is determined by the membership status). The
non-cash portion of the patronage refund, also referred to herein as
"allocated equity", is determined annually by the Board of Directors. The
annual patronage refund is returned to members as soon as practical after the
end of each fiscal year. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, allows
a cooperative to deduct from its taxable income the total amount of the
patronage refunds returned, provided that not less than 20% of the total
patronage refund returned is cash. The bylaws of Farmland provide that the
Board of Directors has complete discretion with respect to the handling and
ultimate disposition of any member-sourced losses.     
 
                                      15
<PAGE>
 
   
  For the years ended 1993, 1994 and 1995, Farmland returned the following
patronage refunds:     
 
<TABLE>     
<CAPTION>
                          CASH OR CASH
                       EQUIVALENT PORTION    NON-CASH PORTION   TOTAL PATRONAGE
                      OF PATRONAGE REFUNDS OF PATRONAGE REFUNDS     REFUNDS
                      -------------------- -------------------- ---------------
                                       (AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)
   <S>                <C>                  <C>                  <C>
   1993..............       $   -0-              $   -0-                -0-
   1994..............       $26,552              $44,032            $70,584
   1995..............       $33,038              $61,356            $94,394
</TABLE>    
 
  Nonpatronage income or loss (income or loss from activities not directly
related to the cooperative marketing or purchasing activities of Farmland) is
subject to income taxes computed on the same basis as such taxes are computed
on the income or loss of other corporations.
   
ALLOCATED EQUITY REDEMPTION PLANS     
   
  The Allocated Equity Redemption Plans described below, namely the Base
Capital Plan (as defined below), the estate settlement plan and the special
allocated equity redemption plans (collectively, the "Plans") may be changed
at any time or from time to time at the sole and absolute discretion of the
Board of Directors. The Plans are also not binding upon the Board of Directors
or the Company, and the Board of Directors reserves the right to redeem, or
not redeem, any equities of the Company without regard to whether such action
or inaction is in compliance with the Plans. The factors which may be
considered by the Board of Directors in determining when, and under what
circumstances, the Company may redeem equities include, but are not limited
to, the terms of the Company's Base Capital Plan, income and other tax
considerations, the Company's results of operations, financial position, cash
flow, capital requirements, long-term financial planning needs and other
relevant considerations. By retaining discretion to determine the amount,
timing and ordering of any equity redemptions, the Board of Directors believes
that it can continue to assure that the best interests of the Company and thus
of its members will be protected.     
 
 BASE CAPITAL PLAN
 
  For the purposes of acquiring and maintaining adequate capital to finance
the business of the Company, the Board of Directors has established a base
capital plan ("Base Capital Plan").
   
  The Base Capital Plan provides a mechanism for determining the Company's
total capital requirements and each voting member's and associate member's
share thereof (the base capital requirement). As part of the Base Capital
Plan, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, provide for redemption of
Farmland common shares or associate member common shares held by voting
members or associate members whose holdings of common shares or associate
member shares exceed the voting members' or associate members' base capital
requirement. The Base Capital Plan provides a mechanism under which the cash
portion of the patronage refund payable to voting members or associate members
will depend upon the degree to which such voting members or associate members
meet their base capital requirements.     
 
 ESTATE SETTLEMENT PLAN
   
  The estate settlement plan provides that in the event of the death of an
individual (a natural person) allocated equity holder, the allocated equity
holdings of the deceased will be redeemed at par value with the exception of
allocated equity which was purchased and held by the deceased for less than
five years. This provision is subject to a limitation of $1.0 million in any
one fiscal year without further authorization by the Board of Directors.     
          
 SPECIAL ALLOCATED EQUITY REDEMPTION PLANS     
   
  From time to time, the Company has redeemed portions of its outstanding
allocated equity under various special allocated equity redemption plans.     
 
                                      16
<PAGE>
 
   
  Each such plan has been designed to return cash to members or former members
of Farmland or Foods by redeeming certain types of outstanding allocated
equity. The order in which each type of allocated equity is redeemed is
determined by the Board of Directors. Except for preferred stock sold through
a public offering in 1984, substantially all the redemptions under these plans
were for allocated equities originally issued as the non-cash portion of the
Company's patronage refunds. See "--Patronage Refunds and Distribution of Net
Earnings".     
   
  Special allocated equity redemption plans are designed to provide a
systematic method for redemption of outstanding allocated equity which is not
subject to redemption through other Plans, such as the Base Capital Plan or
the estate settlement plan.     
   
  As of August 31, 1995, provisions of the current special allocated equity
redemption plan include:     
     
  1. No special redemption will be made if the redemption may result in a
     violation of covenants in loan agreements and similar instruments; and
            
  2. The targeted amount for special redemptions is a percentage of
     consolidated net income (member and nonmember). The percentage is
     determined based on the ratio of Funded Indebtedness to Capitalization
     (as defined in the special allocated equity redemption plan) before the
     special redemption but after giving effect to the distribution of cash
     and the redemptions under the Base Capital Plan. Calculation for special
     redemptions is as follows:     
 
<TABLE>       
<CAPTION>
                           TOTAL SPECIAL ALLOCATED
     FUNDED INDEBTEDNESS      EQUITY REDEMPTION
       AS A PERCENT OF         AS A PERCENT OF
       CAPITALIZATION      CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME
     -------------------   -----------------------
     <S>                   <C>
         >50 %                       None
         48-50 %                     2.5%
         45-47 %                     5.0%
         40-44 %                     7.5%
         <40 %                      10.0%
</TABLE>    
          
  3. The priority for redeeming equities under the Special Allocated Equity
     Redemption Plans is at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.
            
  Presented below are the amounts of allocated equity approved for redemption
by the Board of Directors under the Base Capital Plan, the estate settlement
plan and the special allocated equity redemption plans for each of the years
in the five-year period ended 1995. The amounts approved for redemptions were
paid in cash in the fiscal year following approval.     
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
         BASE       ESTATE
        CAPITAL   SETTLEMENT  SPECIAL ALLOCATED
         PLAN        PLAN     EQUITY REDEMPTION TOTAL PLAN
      REDEMPTIONS REDEMPTIONS PLANS REDEMPTIONS REDEMPTIONS
      ----------- ----------- ----------------- -----------
                     (AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)
<S>   <C>         <C>         <C>               <C>         <C> <C> <C>
1991     2,300          4           5,351          7,655
1992     6,707        234           6,755         13,696
1993       -0-        127              12            139
1994     8,740        126           4,108         12,974
1995    14,159        128          13,451         27,738
</TABLE>    
 
                                      17
<PAGE>
 
          
EQUITY OWNERSHIP     
   
  Farmland's equity consists of preferred shares, common shares, associate
common shares and capital credits. Only the common shares have voting rights.
       
  At January 31, 1996, no person was known by Farmland to be the beneficial
owner of more than 5% of Farmland's common shares.     
   
  At January 31, 1996, none of (i) the directors of Farmland and (ii) the
executive officers of Farmland named in the 1995 Form 10-K, beneficially owned
in excess of 1% of any class of Farmland's equity. At January 31, 1996, such
directors and executive officers as a group owned none of Farmland's preferred
shares, less than 1% of Farmland's common shares, none of Farmland's associate
common shares and less than 1% of Farmland's capital credits.     
 
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
   
  In the opinion of Robert B. Terry, Vice President and General Counsel of
Farmland, there is no litigation existing or pending against Farmland or any of
its subsidiaries that, based on the amounts involved or the defenses available
to the Company, would have a material adverse effect on the financial position
of the Company except for the pending tax litigation relating to Terra
Resources, Inc. ("Terra"), a former subsidiary of the Company, as explained in
Note 3 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in
the November 1995 Form 10-Q. See "Risk Factors--Income Tax Matters" and
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations--Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources" in the
accompanying Prospectus Supplement.     
   
  The Company is currently involved in three administrative proceedings brought
by Region VII of the EPA. See "--Matters Involving the Environment".     
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
   
  Except as otherwise may be stated in any Prospectus Supplement, the Company
intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of Debt Securities for general
corporate purposes, which may include the refinancing of existing indebtedness.
    
                         DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
 
  The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of
the indenture under which the Debt Securities are to be issued. The particular
terms of each issue of Debt Securities, as well as any modifications or
additions to such general terms that may apply in the case of such issue of
Debt Securities, will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to
such issue of Debt Securities. Accordingly, for a description of the terms of a
particular issue of Debt Securities, reference must be made to both the
Prospectus Supplement relating thereto and to the following description. As
used in this section, the "Company" refers only to Farmland Industries, Inc.
exclusive of any subsidiaries.
   
  The Debt Securities are to be issued under an Indenture dated as of       ,
1996, as amended, supplemented or modified from time to time (the "Indenture"),
between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association), as
trustee (in such capacity, the "Trustee"), the form of which is filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part.
Each series of Debt Securities issued pursuant to the Indenture will be issued
pursuant to an amendment or supplement thereto in the form of a supplemental
indenture or pursuant to an Officers' Certificate, in each case delivered
pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors and in accordance     
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
 
with the provisions of Section 3.1 or Article 8 of the Indenture, as the case
may be. The terms of the Debt Securities include those stated in the Indenture
and those made a part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939, as amended (the "TIA"). The Debt Securities are subject to all such
terms and the Holders of Debt Securities are referred to the Indenture and the
TIA for a statement of such terms.
 
  The following summaries of certain provisions of the Indenture and the Debt
Securities are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference
to the provisions of the Indenture, including the definitions of capitalized
terms used herein without definition. Numerical references in parentheses are
to sections in the Indenture and unless otherwise indicated capitalized terms
have the meanings given them in the Indenture.
 
GENERAL
   
  The Indenture provides that Debt Securities issued thereunder may be issued
without limit as to aggregate principal amount, in one or more series, in each
case as established from time to time in or pursuant to authority granted by a
resolution of the Board of Directors or as established in one or more
supplemental indentures to such Indenture. (Section 3.1). The Debt Securities
will constitute general unsecured and non-subordinated obligations of the
Company and will rank on parity in right of payment with all other unsecured
and non-subordinated indebtedness of the Company.     
   
  The Indenture provides that there may be more than one Trustee under such
Indenture, each with respect to one or more series of Debt Securities.
(Section 1.1). Any Trustee under the Indenture may resign or be removed with
respect to one or more series of Debt Securities issued under the Indenture,
and a successor Trustee may be appointed to act with respect to such series.
(Sections 6.10 and 6.11). If two or more persons are acting as Trustee with
respect to different series of Debt Securities issued under the Indenture,
each such Trustee shall be a Trustee of a trust under the Indenture separate
and apart from any trust or trusts administered by any other Trustee (Section
6.11), and any action described therein to be taken by the "Trustee" may then
be taken by each such Trustee with respect to, and only with respect to, the
one or more series of Debt Securities for which it is Trustee under the
Indenture.     
 
  Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement relating to the particular
series of Debt Securities offered thereby for the following terms and other
information to the extent applicable with respect to such Debt Securities: (1)
the title of such Debt Securities; (2) any limit on the aggregate principal
amount of such Debt Securities; (3) the date or dates on which the principal
of such Debt Securities is payable or the method of determination thereof; (4)
the rate or rates at which such Debt Securities shall bear interest, if any,
or the method of calculating such rate or rates of interest, the date or dates
from which such interest shall accrue or the method by which such date or
dates shall be determined, and the date or dates on which any such interest
shall be payable; (5) the place or places where the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest, if any, on such Debt Securities shall be payable; (6)
the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the
other terms and conditions upon which, such Debt Securities may be redeemed,
in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and the other detailed terms
and provisions of such optional redemption; (7) the obligation, if any, of the
Company to redeem or purchase such Debt Securities pursuant to any sinking
fund or analogous provisions or upon the happening of a specified event or at
the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which, the
price or prices at which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such
Debt Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant
to such obligation; (8) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral
multiple thereof, the denominations in which such Debt Securities shall be
issuable; (9) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the
principal amount of such Debt Securities which shall be payable upon
declaration of acceleration thereof or the method by which such portion shall
be determined; (10) if other than as provided in the Indenture, the Person to
whom any interest on any Debt Security
 
                                      19
<PAGE>
 
   
shall be payable, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any
interest payable on one or more temporary or permanent fully registered global
securities (each a "Global Security") on an Interest Payment Date will be
paid; (11) provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of such
Debt Securities upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified; (12)
any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or
covenants of the Company set forth in the Indenture pertaining to such Debt
Securities; (13) if other than as provided in the Indenture, the means of
defeasance or covenant defeasance as may be specified for such Debt
Securities; (14) if other than the Trustee, the identity of the Registrar and
any Paying Agent; (15) whether such Debt Securities shall be issued in whole
or in part in temporary or permanent global form and, if so, (i) the initial
Depository for such Global Securities, and (ii) if other than as provided in
the Indenture, whether and the circumstance under which beneficial owners of
interests in any Debt Securities in temporary or permanent global form may
exchange such interests for Debt Securities and of like tenor of any
authorized form and denomination; and (16) any other terms (which terms shall
not be inconsistent with the provisions of the Indenture), including, without
limitation, any terms which may be required by or advisable under United
States laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of
such Debt Securities. (Section 3.1).     
 
  Debt Securities will be issued only in fully registered form without
coupons. Debt Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the
form of one or more Global Securities that will be deposited with, or on
behalf of, a Depository identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
The specific depository arrangement with respect to a series of Debt
Securities or any part thereof will be described in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement. Unless otherwise specified in the Prospectus Supplement, Debt
Securities will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple
thereof. (Section 3.2).
       
  The Indenture does not contain any provisions that would limit the ability
of the Company or any of its Affiliates to incur indebtedness (secured or
unsecured) or that would afford Holders of Debt Securities protection in the
event of a highly leveraged transaction, restructuring, change in control,
merger or similar transaction involving the Company that may adversely affect
Holders of the Debt Securities.
 
  One or more series of Debt Securities may be sold at a substantial discount
below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate
which at the time of issuance is below market rates ("Original Issue Discount
Securities"). Special federal income tax, accounting and other considerations
applicable thereto will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to
any such Debt Securities.
 
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
 
  The following terms are defined in the Indenture (Sections 1.1, 9.9 and
9.12).
 
  "Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, "control"
when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the
management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether
through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the
terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
 
  "Consolidated Net Worth" means, at any date of determination, the difference
between the Company's consolidated total assets and consolidated total
liabilities as shown on the Company's most recent audited consolidated
financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles.
 
                                      20
<PAGE>
 
   
  "corporation" includes corporations, associations, partnerships, limited
liability companies, joint stock companies and business trusts.     
 
  "Default" means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time, or
both, would be, an Event of Default.
 
  "Event of Default" is defined below under "--Events of Default, Notice and
Waiver".
 
  "Material Subsidiary" means, at any particular time, any Subsidiary that,
together with any Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary (i) accounted for more than
5% of the consolidated sales of the Company for its most recently completed
fiscal year, or (ii) owned more than 5% of the consolidated assets of the
Company as at the end of such fiscal year, all as calculated in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles.
   
  "Maturity", where used with respect to any Debt Security, means the date on
which the principal of such Debt Security or an installment of principal
thereof becomes due and payable as therein or in the Indenture provided,
whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for
redemption or otherwise.     
 
  "Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the
Board, the President, any Executive Vice President or any Senior Vice
President, signing alone, or by any Vice President signing together with the
Corporate Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer of the Company.
   
  "Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of legal counsel, who may be
(a) counsel for the Company or (b) other counsel designated by the Company.
Any counsel for the Company may be an employee of the Company.     
 
  "Stated Maturity", when used with respect to any Debt Security or any
installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified
in such Debt Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Debt
Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
   
  "Subordinated Debt" means indebtedness of the Company which is by its terms
made subordinate or junior in right of payment to the Debt Securities or other
indebtedness of the Company.     
 
  "Subsidiary" means any corporation of which the Company at the time owns or
controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the shares of outstanding
stock having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect a
majority of the Board of Directors of such corporation (irrespective of
whether or not at the time stock of any other class or classes of such
corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening
of any contingency).
   
  "Trinidad Venture" means the joint venture to be organized by the Company
and the Mississippi Chemical Corporation to acquire, own, develop, construct
and/or operate a plant to produce anhydrous ammonia and related products
(including urea) in The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.     
 
CERTAIN COVENANTS
 
 LIMITATION ON LIENS
 
  The Company, with the exceptions listed below, will not issue, assume or
guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money (referred to in this subsection
as "indebtedness") secured by a mortgage, security interest, pledge or lien
("mortgage") of or upon any of its property, owned at the date of the
Indenture or thereafter acquired, unless the Debt Securities then outstanding
(together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other indebtedness
issued, assumed or guaranteed by the
 
                                      21
<PAGE>
 
Company and then existing or thereafter created) are secured by such mortgage
equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) all other
indebtedness secured thereby for so long as such other indebtedness shall be so
secured. The term "indebtedness" as used in this subsection does not include
any guarantee, cash deposit or other recourse obligation in connection with the
sale, securitization or discount by the Company of finance or accounts
receivable, trade acceptances or other paper arising in the ordinary course of
its business.
   
  The foregoing covenant does not apply to (1) mortgages of or upon any
property (including, without limitation, inventory) acquired, constructed or
improved by, or of or upon any shares of capital stock or indebtedness acquired
by, the Company after the date of the Indenture (A) to secure the payment of
all or any part of the purchase price of such property, shares of capital stock
or indebtedness upon the acquisition thereof by the Company or (B) to secure
any indebtedness issued, assumed or guaranteed by the Company prior to, at the
time of, or within 360 days after (i) in the case of property, the latest of
the acquisition, completion of construction (including any improvements on
existing property) and commencement of commercial operation of such property,
or (ii) in the case of shares of capital stock or indebtedness, the acquisition
of such shares of capital stock or indebtedness, which indebtedness is issued,
assumed or guaranteed for the purpose of financing or refinancing all or any
part of the purchase price of such property, shares of capital stock or
indebtedness and, in the case of property, the cost of construction thereof or
improvements thereon, provided, however, that, in the case of any such
acquisition, construction or improvement of property, the mortgage shall not
apply to any property, shares of capital stock or indebtedness theretofore
owned by the Company other than, in the case of any such acquisition,
construction or improvement, (x) any real property on which the property so
acquired or constructed or the improvement is located, or (y) any real property
to which the property so acquired or constructed or the improvement attaches or
is affixed; (2) mortgages of or upon any property, shares of capital stock or
indebtedness, which mortgages exist at the time of acquisition of such
property, shares or indebtedness by the Company; (3) mortgages of or upon any
property of a corporation, which mortgages exist at the time such corporation
is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or which mortgages
exist at the time of a sale or transfer of the properties of a corporation as
an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; (4) mortgages to
secure indebtedness of the Company to any Subsidiary, provided, however, that
the money borrowed by the Company from such Subsidiary that constitutes such
indebtedness arose from the internal operations of such Subsidiary; (5)
mortgages in favor of the United States of America or any state thereof, or any
department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of the United
States of America or any State thereof, or in favor of any other country or
political subdivision to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments
pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any indebtedness incurred,
assumed or guaranteed for the purpose of financing or refinancing all or any
part of the purchase price of the property, shares of capital stock or
indebtedness subject to such mortgages, or the cost of constructing or
improving the property subject to such mortgages (including, without
limitation, mortgages incurred in connection with pollution control, industrial
revenue or similar financings); (6) mortgages on properties financed through
tax-exempt municipal obligations, provided that such mortgages are limited to
the property so financed; (7) mortgages existing on the date of execution of
the Indenture; (8) mortgages of or upon any grain inventory to secure any
indebtedness incurred, assumed or guaranteed by the Company; (9) mortgages of
or upon any equity or other interest in the Trinidad Venture to facilitate the
availability of political risk insurance and/or to secure any indebtedness in
connection with or relating to the Trinidad Venture; and (10) any extension,
renewal, substitution, refinancing, refunding or replacement (or successive
extensions, renewals, substitutions, refinancings, refundings or replacements)
(each a "refinancing") in whole or in part of any mortgage existing at the date
of the Indenture or any mortgage referred to in the foregoing clauses (1)
through (9), inclusive, provided, however, that the principal amount of
indebtedness secured thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of
indebtedness so secured at the time of such refinancing plus the aggregate
amount of premiums, other payments, costs and expenses required to be paid or
incurred in connection with such refinancing, and that such refinancing shall
be limited to     
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
 
all or a part of the property (plus improvements and construction on such
property), shares of capital stock or indebtedness which was subject to the
mortgage so extended, renewed, substituted, refinanced, refunded or replaced.
   
  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may, without equally and ratably
securing the Debt Securities, issue, assume or guarantee indebtedness secured
by a mortgage not excepted by clauses (1) through (10) above, if the aggregate
amount of such indebtedness, together with all other indebtedness of, or
indebtedness guaranteed by, the Company existing at such time and secured by
mortgages not so excepted, does not at the time exceed 10% of the Company's
Consolidated Net Worth. (Section 9.9).     
 
 OWNERSHIP OF MATERIAL SUBSIDIARY STOCK
   
  The Company will not take any action which would result in a decrease in the
percentage of the outstanding shares of stock of any Material Subsidiary owned
directly or indirectly by the Company, except as the result of (a) the
issuance of directors' qualifying shares, (b) the declaration and payment of
patronage refunds, (c) the issuance of capital stock to members, (d) the
purchase or retirement of shares with the proceeds of newly issued shares, or
(e) the sale of capital stock at a price determined by the Company (which
determination may be evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors) to
be the fair value thereof. (Section 9.10).     
 
 TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
   
  The Company will not enter into any transaction (including the purchase,
sale or exchange of property or the rendering of any service) with any
Affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than in the ordinary course
of business and upon fair and reasonable terms taking into account the nature
of the Company's or the Subsidiary's business. (Section 9.11).     
 
 PREPAYMENT OF SUBORDINATED DEBT
   
  The Company will not pay, prepay or purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire
any or all of the Subordinated Debt, provided, however, that the Company may
make (a) a regularly scheduled payment on Subordinated Debt; (b) any mandatory
prepayment required under the terms of the subordination agreement related to
such Subordinated Debt; and (c) any other payment or prepayment or any
purchase, redemption or acquisition of such Subordinated Debt, if, after
giving effect to such other payment or prepayment or such purchase, redemption
or acquisition, (i) the principal amount of all outstanding Subordinated Debt
is equal to or greater than $200 million and (ii) there are no Defaults or
Events of Default under the Indenture. (Section 9.12).     
 
 RESTRICTION ON CERTAIN PAYMENTS
   
  The Company may not pay any patronage refunds or pay any dividends on its
stock or purchase or redeem any of its stock or capital credits at any time
(except refunds, dividends, purchases or redemptions payable in common stock
of the Company or capital credits or other equity credits) (any of the
foregoing being referred to herein as a "Distribution") if, after giving
effect to such Distribution (a) its Consolidated Net Worth would be less than
$475 million, or (b) the aggregate amount of all Distributions in respect of a
given fiscal year (the "Applicable Year") (whether such Distribution actually
is paid or made in the Applicable Year or subsequent thereto) would exceed the
greater of (i) the Company's net income for the Applicable Year or (ii) the
Company's patronage earnings (i.e., member-sourced income) for the Applicable
Year; provided, however, that the foregoing limitation in clause (b) above
shall not apply if, after giving effect to such Distribution, the Company's
Consolidated Net Worth would be $600 million or more; provided, further,
however, that notwithstanding any of the foregoing limitations: (A) the
Company may pay or make Distributions in respect of any Applicable Year in an
aggregate amount not exceeding the greater of (1) 50% of the Company's net
income for the     
 
                                      23
<PAGE>
 
   
Applicable Year or (2) 50% of the Company's patronage earnings for the
Applicable Year (provided that, in any event, the Company may pay cash
patronage refunds in respect of any Applicable Year to the extent necessary for
the patronage distribution to satisfy the requirement, presently set forth in
the last sentence of Section 1388(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (or any successor provision), that a specific portion of the
patronage dividend (presently 20%) be paid in money or by a qualified check);
(B) the Company may pay or make Distributions in connection with estate
settlements; and (C) the Company may pay or make Distributions that arise by
operation of law (including, without limitation, pursuant to a court order,
judgment or decree). (Section 9.13).     
 
 CORPORATE EXISTENCE
   
  Subject to "--Mergers, Consolidations and Transfers of Assets" below, the
Company will at all times do or cause to be done all things necessary to
preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and rights
and franchises; provided, however, that the Company may abandon or terminate
any right or franchise if, in the determination of the Company, such
abandonment or termination is in the best interests of the Company and does not
materially adversely affect the ability of the Company to operate its business
or to fulfill its obligations under the Indenture. (Section 9.4).     
 
 WAIVERS OF CERTAIN COVENANTS
   
  The Company may fail or omit in any particular instance to comply with any of
the covenants set forth above in this "--Certain Covenants" subsection (other
than the covenant relating to its corporate existence) with respect to any
series of Debt Securities if the Company shall have obtained and filed with the
Trustee prior to the time for such compliance the consent in writing of the
Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of all of the Debt
Securities of such series at the time Outstanding either waiving such
compliance in such instance or generally waiving compliance with such covenant
or covenants, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect any obligation not
expressly waived or impair any right consequent thereon. (Section 9.14).     
 
MERGERS, CONSOLIDATIONS AND TRANSFERS OF ASSETS
   
  The Company may merge or consolidate with or into any other corporation or
sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its
assets to any Person, if: (a) (i) in the case of a merger or consolidation, the
Company is the surviving corporation, or (ii) in the case of a merger or
consolidation where the Company is not the surviving corporation and in the
case of any such sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, the successor
or acquiring corporation is a corporation organized and existing under the laws
of the United States or a State thereof and such corporation expressly assumes
by supplemental indenture all the obligations of the Company under the Debt
Securities and under the Indenture; (b) immediately thereafter, giving effect
to such merger or consolidation, or such sale, conveyance, transfer or other
disposition, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing; and (c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such merger or
consolidation, or such sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition complies
with the Indenture and that all conditions precedent therein provided for
relating to such transaction have been complied with. In the event of the
assumption by a successor corporation of the obligations of the Company as
provided in clause (a)(ii) of the immediately preceding sentence, such
successor corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company under
the Indenture and under the Debt Securities and all obligations of the Company
thereunder shall terminate. (Section 7.1).     
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT, NOTICE AND WAIVER
 
  Except as may otherwise be set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement,
the Indenture provides that the following events are "Events of Default" with
respect to any series of Debt Securities:
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
 
   
(a) default for 30 days in the payment of any installment of interest on any
Debt Security of such series; (b) default in the payment of any principal of,
or premium, if any, on, any such Debt Security of such series at its Maturity,
upon redemption (if applicable) or otherwise; (c) default for 60 days after
written notice to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the
Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding
Debt Securities of such series, in the performance of, or breach of, any other
covenant or warranty in respect of the Debt Securities of such series
contained in the Indenture; (d) a default under any agreement or instrument
under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced
any indebtedness for money borrowed, whether such indebtedness now exists or
shall hereafter be created, having an outstanding principal amount of $15
million or more in the aggregate, which default shall have resulted in such
indebtedness being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it
would otherwise have become due and payable, without such declaration of
acceleration having been rescinded or annulled within a period of ten days
after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the
Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at
least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of
such series, a written notice specifying such Event of Default, and stating
that such notice is a "Notice of Default" under the Indenture; provided,
however, that if such default under such agreement or indenture is remedied or
cured by the Company or waived by the holders of such indebtedness, then such
Event of Default by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been
thereupon remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of
either the Trustee or any of the Holders of the Debt Securities of that
series; (e) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or
court appointment of a receiver, liquidator or trustee of the Company or its
property; and (f) any other Event of Default provided in or pursuant to the
applicable resolution of the Board of Directors, or established in the
supplemental indenture under which such series of Debt Securities is issued.
(Section 5.1). No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of Debt
Securities necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any
other series of Debt Securities issued under the Indenture.     
   
  Within 90 days after the occurrence of any Default with respect to any
series of Debt Securities, the Trustee for such series must give the Holders
of Debt Securities of such series notice of all Defaults of which it has
knowledge and that have not been cured or waived. Nevertheless, except in the
case of a Default in payment on the Debt Securities of any series, the Trustee
may withhold notice to the Holders of Debt Securities of any series of any
Default with respect to such series if and so long as it determines that the
withholding of such notice is in the interest of such Holders; provided,
however, that, in the case of any default or breach of the character specified
in clause (c) of the preceding paragraph with respect to the Debt Securities
of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60
days after the occurrence thereof. (Section 6.6).     
   
  If an Event of Default with respect to any series of Debt Securities at the
time Outstanding shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee or the
Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt
Securities of such series may, by written notice, declare the principal
thereof (or, if the Debt Securities of such series are Original Issue Discount
Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the
terms of such series) to be due and payable immediately. (Section 5.2).     
   
  The Indenture contains a provision entitling the Trustee to be indemnified
by the Holders of Debt Securities issued thereunder before proceeding to
exercise any right or power under the Indenture at the request of any Holders.
(Section 6.2). The Indenture provides that the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series issued
thereunder may, with certain exceptions, direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, with respect to the
Debt Securities of such series. (Section 5.8). The right of a Holder to
institute a proceeding with respect to the Indenture is subject to certain
conditions precedent, including notice and indemnity to the Trustee,     
 
                                      25
<PAGE>
 
   
but each Holder has a right to the receipt of principal, premium, if any, and
interest, if any, at the respective Stated Maturities of the Debt Securities
(or, in the case of a redemption, on the Redemption Date) or to institute suit
for the enforcement thereof. (Sections 5.9 and 5.10).     
   
  The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt
Securities of any series may, on behalf of the Holders of all such Debt
Securities, waive any past default, except a default (a) in the payment of
principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Debt Securities of
such series at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, and (b) in respect of
any covenant or provision of the Indenture that cannot be modified or amended
without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security affected.
(Sections 5.7 and 8.2).     
 
  The Indenture requires the Company to furnish to the Trustee annual
statements as to the fulfillment by the Company of its obligations under the
Indenture. (Section 9.7).
 
MODIFICATION OF THE INDENTURE
   
  The Company and the Trustee may, at any time and from time to time, without
the consent of any Holders of Debt Securities, modify and amend the Indenture,
for any of the following purposes: (a) to evidence the succession of another
corporation to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the
covenants of the Company under the Indenture and in the Debt Securities; (b) to
add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or
any series of Debt Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit
of less than all series of Debt Securities, stating that such covenants are
expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender
any right or power conferred by the Indenture upon the Company; (c) to add any
additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Debt
Securities; (d) to add to or change any of the provisions of the Indenture to
facilitate the issuance of Debt Securities in global form; (e) to add to,
change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Indenture; provided, however,
that any such addition, change or elimination shall become effective only when
there is no Debt Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the
execution of the supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of
such provision; (f) to secure the Debt Securities; (g) to establish the form or
terms of Debt Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 3.1 of
the Indenture; (h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
under the Indenture by a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities
of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the
Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration
of the trusts under the Indenture by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the
requirements of Section 6.11 of the Indenture; (i) to correct or supplement any
provision under the Indenture which may be inconsistent with any other
provision under the Indenture or to make any other provisions with respect to
matters or questions arising under the Indenture, provided, however, such
action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Debt
Securities of any series issued under the Indenture in any material respect; or
to cure any ambiguity or correct any mistake; or (j) to modify, eliminate or
add to the provisions of the Indenture under the TIA or under any similar
federal statute subsequently enacted and to add to the Indenture such other
provisions as may be expressly required under the TIA. (Section 8.1).     
   
  Modifications and amendments to the Indenture may be made by the Company and
the Trustee with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of each series of Debt Securities at the time Outstanding that is
affected thereby; provided, however, that no such modification or amendment
may, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security of
such series affected thereby: (i) change the Stated Maturity of the principal
of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Debt Security of
such series, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest
thereon or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the
amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security of such series
that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the
Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.2 of the Indenture, or impair the right
to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the
Stated Maturity thereof     
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
 
   
(or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date); (ii) reduce
the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities
of such series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such
supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any
waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or certain
defaults thereunder and their consequences) provided for in the Indenture;
(iii) change any obligation of the Company to maintain an office or agency in
the Place of Payment for the Debt Securities of such series where such Debt
Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, where such Debt
Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or where
notices and demands to or upon the Company may be served; or (iv) make any
change in Section 5.7 or Section 8.2 of the Indenture except to increase any
percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of the Indenture cannot
be modified or waived without the consent of the Holders of each Outstanding
Debt Security of such series affected thereby. (Section 8.2).     
 
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE
   
  The Indenture, with respect to any series of Debt Securities (except for
certain specified surviving obligations referred to below), will be discharged
and canceled upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, including the
following: (a) all Debt Securities of such series not theretofore delivered to
the Trustee for cancellation have become due or payable, will become and due
and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or are to be called for
redemption within one year; and (b) the deposit with the Trustee of an amount
sufficient to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest to the Maturity
of all Debt Securities of such series. Upon any such discharge of the Company's
obligations, the Holders of the Debt Securities of such series shall no longer
be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, except for the purposes of
registration of transfer and exchange of the Debt Securities or replacement of
lost, stolen or mutilated Debt Securities and shall look only to such deposited
funds or obligations for payment. (Sections 4.1 and 4.2).     
   
  The Indenture also provides that the Company may elect:     
     
    (a) to be discharged from its obligations with respect to the Debt
  Securities of or within a series on and after the date the conditions set
  forth below in the next paragraph are satisfied (hereinafter "defeasance").
  For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to
  have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Debt
  Securities which shall thereafter be deemed to be "Outstanding" only for
  the purposes of Article 4 of the Indenture, and to have satisfied all its
  other obligations under such Debt Securities and the Indenture insofar as
  such Debt Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the
  Company, shall on a Company Order execute proper instruments acknowledging
  the same), except the following which shall survive until otherwise
  terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Debt
  Securities to receive, solely from the trust funds described below in the
  next paragraph, payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any,
  and interest, if any, on such Debt Securities when such payments are due;
  (ii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee under
  the Indenture; and (iii) Article 4 of the Indenture. Subject to compliance
  with Article 4 of the Indenture, the Company may exercise this option
  notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option to effect covenant
  defeasance (as defined below) with respect to such Debt Securities.
  (Section 4.4).     
     
    (b) to be released from its obligations under "--Mergers, Consolidations
  and Transfers of Assets" and "--Certain Covenants" above and certain other
  obligations, and, if specified pursuant to provisions of the Indenture
  establishing the terms of such Debt Securities, its obligations under any
  other covenants, with respect to such Debt Securities on and after the date
  the conditions set forth below in the next paragraph are satisfied
  (hereinafter "covenant defeasance"), and such Debt Securities shall
  thereafter be deemed to be not "Outstanding" for the purpose of any
  request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
  Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with
  such obligations or such other covenants, but     
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
 
     
  shall continue to be deemed "Outstanding" for all other purposes of the
  Indenture. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with
  respect to such Debt Securities, the Company may omit to comply with and
  shall have no liability in respect of such obligations or such other
  covenants, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference
  elsewhere in the Indenture to any such obligation or such other covenants
  or by reason of any reference to any such obligation or such other
  covenants to any other provision in the Indenture or in any other document
  or otherwise and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or
  an Event of Default under the Indenture or otherwise, as the case may be,
  but, except as specified above, the remainder of the Indenture and such
  Debt Securities shall be unaffected thereby. (Section 4.5).     
          
  Such defeasance or covenant defeasance will take effect with respect to some
or all of the Debt Securities of any series at any time prior to the Stated
Maturity or redemption thereof only when:     
     
    (a) The Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited
  irrevocably with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the
  requirements of the Indenture who shall agree to comply with, and shall be
  entitled to the benefits of, certain specified provisions of the Indenture
  relating to defeasance or covenant defeasance, for purposes of such
  provisions also a "Trustee") as trust funds in trust for the purpose of
  making the payments referred to in clauses (x) and (y) below, specifically
  pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the
  Holders of such Debt Securities, with instructions to the Trustee as to the
  application thereof, (i) money in an amount, or (ii) Government Obligations
  which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in
  accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the
  due date of any payment referred to in clause (x) or (y) below, money in an
  amount or (iii) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the
  opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public
  accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the
  Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee to
  pay and discharge, (x) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if
  any, on such Debt Securities on the Maturity of such principal or
  installment of principal or interest and (y) any mandatory sinking fund
  payments applicable to such Debt Securities on the day on which such
  payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture
  and such Debt Securities. Before such a deposit the Company may make
  arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of Debt
  Securities at a future date or dates in accordance with the Indenture which
  shall be given effect in applying the foregoing.     
     
    (b) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach
  or violation of, or constitute a Default or Event of Default under the
  Indenture or result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default
  under, any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a
  party or by which it is bound.     
     
    (c) No Event of Default of the type described in clause (e) of "--Events
  of Default, Notice and Waiver" above with respect to such Debt Securities
  shall have occurred and be continuing during the period commencing on the
  date of such deposit and ending on the 91st day after such date (it being
  understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the
  expiration of such period).     
     
    (d) In the case of an exercise by the Company of its option to effect
  such defeasance as described above, the Company shall have delivered to the
  Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect
  that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the
  Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of
  the Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax
  law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion
  shall confirm that, the Holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize
  income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such
  defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and
  in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if
  such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred.     
 
                                      28
<PAGE>
 
     
    (e) In the case of an exercise by the Company of its option to effect
  such covenant defeasance as described above, the Company shall have
  delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the
  Holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for
  Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and
  will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same
  manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant
  defeasance had not occurred.     
     
    (f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
  Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions
  precedent to such defeasance as described above or such covenant defeasance
  as described above (as the case may be) have been complied with and an
  Opinion of Counsel to the effect that either (i) as a result of a deposit
  pursuant to subparagraph (a) above and the related exercise of the
  Company's option to effect such defeasance as described above or to effect
  such covenant defeasance as described above (as the case may be),
  registration is not required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
  amended, by the Company, with respect to the trust funds representing such
  deposit or by the Trustee for such trust funds or (ii) all necessary
  registrations under said Act have been effected.     
     
    (g) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in
  compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or
  limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith as
  contemplated by the provisions of the Indenture establishing the terms of
  such Debt Securities. (Section 4.6).     
         
PAYMENT AND TRANSFER
 
  Principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Debt Securities
of any series are to be payable at the Place of Payment for such series, which
may be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any other office or agency
maintained by the Company for such purposes, provided that payment of
interest, if any, on Debt Securities may be made at the option of the Company
by check mailed to the persons in whose names such Debt Securities are
registered at the close of business on the day or days specified in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement. (Sections 3.7 and 9.2).
 
  Debt Securities may be transferred or exchanged at the Place of Payment for
such series, which may be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at any
other office or agency maintained by the Company for such purposes, subject to
the limitations in the Indenture, without the payment of any service charge
except for any tax or governmental charge incidental thereto. (Section 3.5).
 
SAME-DAY SETTLEMENT
   
  If the accompanying Prospectus Supplement so indicates, settlement for the
Debt Securities will be made by the underwriters, dealers or agents in
immediately available funds and all applicable payments of principal, premium
and interest on the Debt Securities will be made by the Company in immediately
available funds. Secondary trading in long-term notes and debentures of
corporate issuers is generally settled in clearinghouse or next-day funds. In
contrast, the Debt Securities subject to settlement in immediately available
funds will trade in the Depositary's Same-Day Funds Settlement System until
maturity, and secondary market trading activity in the Debt Securities will
therefore be required by the Depositary to settle in immediately available
funds. No assurance can be given as to the effect, if any, of settlement in
immediately available funds on trading activity in the Debt Securities.     
          
NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS OR DIRECTORS
       
  The Indenture provides that no recourse under or upon any obligation,
covenant or agreement of or contained in the Indenture or of or contained in
any Senior Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented
thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or
director, as such, of the Company or of any successor Person. Each Holder, by
accepting the Senior Notes, waives and releases all such liability. (Section
1.13).     
 
                                      29
<PAGE>
 
   
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE     
   
  The Indenture provides that, except during the continuance of an Event of
Default, the Trustee will perform only such duties as are specifically set
forth in the Indenture. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing,
the Trustee will use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise of the
rights and powers vested in it by the Indenture as a prudent person would
exercise under the circumstances in the conduct of such person's own affairs.
(Section 6.1).     
   
  The Indenture and provisions of the TIA incorporated by reference therein
contain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it become a creditor
of the Company, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on
certain property received by it in respect of any such claims, as security or
otherwise. The Trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions; provided,
however, that if it acquires any conflicting interest, it must eliminate such
conflict or resign. (Section 6.3).     
   
  The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association) is the Trustee under the
Indenture. The Company maintains banking relationships in the ordinary course
of business with the Trustee. Among other things, the Trustee is a lending
bank under a $650.0 million credit facility provided to the Company by ten
domestic and international banking institutions. See "Management's Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations--Financial
Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources" in the accompanying Prospectus
Supplement.     
 
                             PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
   
  The Company may sell Debt Securities to or through underwriters and also may
sell Debt Securities directly to other purchasers or through agents. Such
underwriters may include Goldman, Sachs & Co. or a group of underwriters
represented by firms including Goldman, Sachs & Co. Goldman, Sachs & Co. also
may act as agents.     
 
  The distribution of the Debt Securities may be effected from time to time in
one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or
at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
 
  In connection with the sale of Debt Securities, underwriters may receive
compensation from the Company or from purchasers of Debt Securities for whom
they may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.
Underwriters may sell Debt Securities to or through dealers, and such dealers
may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions
from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may
act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the
distribution of Debt Securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any
discounts or commissions received by them from the Company and any profit on
the resale of Debt Securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting
discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act. Any such underwriter or
agent will be identified, and any such compensation received from the Company
will be described, in the Prospectus Supplement.
 
  Under agreements which may be entered into by the Company, underwriters and
agents who participate in the distribution of Debt Securities may be entitled
to indemnification by the Company against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
 
  If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will authorize
underwriters or other persons acting as the Company's agents to solicit offers
by certain institutions to purchase Debt Securities from the Company pursuant
to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions
with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks,
insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and
charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be
approved by the Company. The obligations of any purchaser under any such
contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the offered
Debt Securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws
of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject. The underwriters and
such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity
or performance of such contracts.
 
                                      30
<PAGE>
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
   
  The validity of the Debt Securities will be passed upon for the Company by
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (a partnership including professional
corporations), New York, New York. McDermott, Will & Emery, Chicago, Illinois,
will serve as counsel for any underwriters or agents. McDermott, Will & Emery
in the past has represented and in the future may represent the Company on
other matters. McDermott, Will & Emery currently is acting as special counsel
to assist the Company and its trial counsel in connection with the pending
income tax litigation relating to Terra (see "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations--Financial
Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources" in the accompanying Prospectus
Supplement). Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and McDermott, Will &
Emery each will rely upon the opinion of Robert B. Terry, Esq., Vice President
and General Counsel of the Company, with respect to all matters of Kansas law.
    
                                    EXPERTS
   
  The Consolidated Financial Statements of Farmland as of August 31, 1994 and
1995, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended August 31,
1995, have been incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and the
Registration Statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,
independent certified public accountants, incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and the Registration Statement, upon the authority of such firm as
experts in accounting and auditing. The report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
covering the Consolidated Financial Statements contains an explanatory
paragraph concerning income tax adjustments proposed by the Internal Revenue
Service relating to Terra.     
 
                                      31
<PAGE>
 
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 NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRE-
SENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE
PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT
BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED. THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE
PROSPECTUS DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER
TO BUY ANY SECURITIES OTHER THAN THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN THIS PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS OR AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN
OFFER TO BUY SUCH SECURITIES IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SO-
LICITATION IS UNLAWFUL. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR
THE PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIR-
CUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AF-
FAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF OR THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
HEREIN OR THEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY TIME SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE OF SUCH IN-
FORMATION.
 
                                 ------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----
<S>                                                                         <C>
Prospectus Summary........................................................   S-3
Risk Factors..............................................................   S-6
Use of Proceeds...........................................................   S-8
Capitalization............................................................   S-9
Selected Consolidated Financial Data......................................  S-10
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
 Operations...............................................................  S-12
Description of the Senior Notes...........................................  S-25
Underwriting..............................................................  S-28
Legal Matters.............................................................  S-29
 
                                  PROSPECTUS
 
Available Information.....................................................     2
Documents Incorporated by Reference.......................................     2
The Company...............................................................     3
Business..................................................................     4
Use of Proceeds...........................................................    18
Description of Debt Securities............................................    18
Plan of Distribution......................................................    30
Legal Matters.............................................................    31
Experts...................................................................    31
</TABLE>    
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                 $100,000,000
 
                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.
                            
                          % SENIOR NOTES DUE 2003     
 
                                 ------------
 
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 
                                 ------------
 
                             GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II
 
                  INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION*
 
<TABLE>       
     <S>                                                               <C>
     SEC registration fee............................................. $ 68,966
     Blue sky fees and expenses.......................................   15,000
     Legal fees and expenses..........................................  300,000
     Accounting fees and expenses.....................................   50,000
     Printing and engraving expenses..................................  125,000
     NYSE listing fee.................................................    5,000
     Trustee's fees and expenses......................................    7,500
     Rating agency fees...............................................  121,000
     Miscellaneous....................................................    7,534
                                                                       --------
       Total.......................................................... $700,000
                                                                       ========
</TABLE>    
- --------
   
 * Except for the SEC registration fee and the NYSE listing fee, all the
  foregoing expenses have been estimated.     
       
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
  Section 6002(b) of Chapter 17 of the Kansas Statutes (1987), permits the
following provision to be included in the articles of incorporation of the
Company: a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a
director to the corporation or its stockholders, policyholders or members for
monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that
such provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (A)
for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
stockholders, policyholders or members, (B) for acts or omissions not in good
faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law,
(C) under the provision of K.S.A. 17-6424 and amendments thereto, or (D) for
any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
No such provision shall eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any
act or omission occurring prior to the date when such provision becomes
effective. All references in this subsection to a director shall be deemed
also to refer to a member of the governing body of a corporation which is not
authorized to issue capital stock. Section 6002(c) provides that "It shall not
be necessary to set forth in the articles of incorporation any of the powers
conferred on corporations by this act."
 
    Article VII of Articles of Incorporation of Farmland Industries, Inc.
  reads as follows:
 
                         ARTICLE VII--INDEMNIFICATION
 
    Section 1. Indemnification. The Association may agree to the terms and
  conditions upon which any director, officer, employee or agent accepts his
  office or position and in its bylaws, by contract or in any other manner
  may agree to indemnify and protect any director, officer, employee or agent
  of the Association, or any person who serves at the request of the
  Association as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
  corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, to the
  fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Kansas.
 
    Section 2. Limitation of Liability. Without limiting the generality of
  the foregoing provisions of this ARTICLE VII, to the fullest extent
  permitted or authorized by the laws of the State of Kansas, including,
  without limitation the provisions of subsection (b)(8) of Kan. Stat. Ann.
  Sec. 17-6002 (1981) as now in effect and as it may from time to time
  hereafter be amended, no person who is currently or shall hereinafter
  become a director of the Association shall have personal liability to
 
                                     II-1
<PAGE>
 
  the Association for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a
  director for any act or omission occurring subsequent to the date this
  provision becomes effective. If the Kansas General Corporation Code is
  amended after approval of this provision by the shareholders of the
  Association, to authorize corporate action further limiting or eliminating
  the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of
  the Association shall be limited or eliminated to the fullest extent
  permitted by the Kansas General Corporation Code, as so amended.
 
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS
 
<TABLE>   
 <C>  <S>
 1    --Form of Underwriting Agreement
 4.1  --Form of Indenture between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank
       (National Association), as trustee
 4.2  --Form of Senior Note
 5    --Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, counsel to the
       Company, as to the legality of the securities being offered
 12   --Statement regarding computation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges
 23.1 --Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 23.2 --Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (included in
       Exhibit 5)
 23.3 --Consent of Robert B. Terry, Esq. (included in Exhibit 99)
 23.4 --Consent of Bryan Cave LLP
 24   --Powers of Attorney relating to subsequent amendments*
 25   --Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility Under Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of
       The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association)*
 99   --Opinion of Robert B. Terry, Esq., Vice President and General Counsel of
       the Company
</TABLE>    
- --------
   
* Previously filed.     
 
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS
 
  (a) The undersigned registrant (the "Registrant") hereby undertakes:
     
    (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
  post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:     
 
      (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
    Securities Act of 1933;
 
      (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
    the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent
    post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
    aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
    in this Registration Statement; notwithstanding the foregoing, any
    increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
    dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
    registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
    maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
    with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
    under the Securities Act of 1933 if, in the aggregate, the changes in
    volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum
    aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration
    Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement; and
 
      (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
    distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or
    any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;
     
  provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (a)(1)(i)
  and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be
  included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
  periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the
  Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities
  Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this
  Registration Statement.     
 
                                     II-2
<PAGE>
 
    (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
  Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
  to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
  therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
  to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
    (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
  any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
  termination of the offering.
   
  (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.     
   
  (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the Registrant pursuant to the provisions set forth under Item 15 above or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.     
 
  (d) The Registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
    (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of
  1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of
  this Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a
  form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or
  (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part
  of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.
 
    (2) For the purpose of determining any liabilities under the Securities
  Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of
  prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to
  the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
  time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
                                     II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES
   
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT
CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING ON FORM S-3 AND HAS DULY CAUSED THIS AMENDMENT TO THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED,
THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED, IN THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY, STATE OF MISSOURI, ON
THE 16TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1996.     
 
                                          Farmland Industries, Inc.
                                                    
                                                 /s/ John F. Berardi     
                                          By __________________________________
                                                 
                                              JOHN F. BERARDI, EXECUTIVE VICE
                                               PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL
                                                       OFFICER     
          
  PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THIS AMENDMENT
TO THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE
CAPACITIES AND ON THE DATES INDICATED.     
 
             SIGNATURES                        TITLE                 DATE
                                                                           
                 *                     Chairman of Board,        February 16,
- -------------------------------------   Director                  1996 
          ALBERT J. SHIVLEY
 
                                       President, Chief          
                 *                      Executive Officer        February 16,
- -------------------------------------   and Director              1996     
            H.D. CLEBERG                (Principal
                                        Executive Officer)
                                                                        
                 *                     Vice Chairman of          February 16,
- -------------------------------------   Board, Vice               1996
            OTIS H. MOLZ                President and
                                        Director
 
                                                        
                 *                     Director                  February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996 
          LYMAN ADAMS, JR.
 
                                                         
                 *                     Director                  February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996 
         RONALD J. AMUNDSON
 
                                                       
                 *                     Director                  February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996 
         BAXTER ANKERSTJERNE
      
                                     II-4
<PAGE>
 
             SIGNATURES                         TITLE                DATE
     
                                                            
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
             JODY BEZNER
                                                            
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
          RICHARD L. DETTEN
 
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            STEVEN ERDMAN
                                                            
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            WARREN GERDES
 
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            BEN GRIFFITH
 
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            GAIL D. HALL
 
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
           JEROME HEUERTZ
                                                            
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            BARRY JENSEN
                                                                    
                                        Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            RON JURGENS     
 
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            GREG PFENNING
 
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
           VONN RICHARDSON
 
                 *                      Director                 February 16,
- -------------------------------------                             1996     
            MONTE ROMOHR
      
                                      II-5
<PAGE>
     
             SIGNATURES                      TITLE                 DATE
 
                                                          
               *                      Director                 February 16,
- ------------------------------------                            1996     
            JOE ROYSTER     
 
                                                         
               *                      Director                 February 16,
- ------------------------------------                            1996     
         RAYMOND J. SCHMITZ
 
                                                          
                                      Director                 February 16,
- ------------------------------------                            1996     
         FRANK WILSON     
 
                                                          
               *                      Director                 February 16,
- ------------------------------------                            1996     
           ROBERT ZINKULA
 
                                      Executive Vice              
     /s/ John F. Berardi               President and           February 16,
- ------------------------------------   Chief Financial          1996     
          JOHN F. BERARDI              Officer (Principal
                                       Financial Officer)
 
                                      Vice President and          
      /s/ Merl Daniel                  Controller              February 16,
- ------------------------------------   (Principal               1996     
            MERL DANIEL                Accounting
                                       Officer)
         
      /s/ John F. Berardi     
*By ___________________________     
  JOHN F. BERARDIATTORNEY-IN-FACT
                         
                                      II-6
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
 NUMBER                        DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION
 -------                       --------------------
 <C>     <S>                                                                <C>
  1      --Form of Underwriting Agreement
  4.1    --Form of Indenture between the Company and The Chase Manhattan
          Bank (National Association), as trustee
  4.2    --Form of Senior Note
  5      --Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, counsel
          to the Company, as to the legality of the securities being
          offered
  12     --Statement regarding computation of ratio of earnings to fixed
          charges
  23.1   --Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
  23.2   --Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (included
          in Exhibit 5)
  23.3   --Consent of Robert B. Terry, Esq. (included in Exhibit 99)
  23.4   --Consent of Bryan Cave LLP
  24     --Powers of Attorney relating to subsequent amendments*
  25     --Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility Under Trust Indenture Act of
          1939 of The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association)*
  99     --Opinion of Robert B. Terry, Esq., Vice President and General
          Counsel of the Company
</TABLE>    
- --------
   
* Previously filed.     

<PAGE>
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT 1

                                                                [Draft--2/16/96]

                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.

                                Debt Securities

                           -------------------------

                            Underwriting Agreement
                            ----------------------

                                                     ___________________, 19....

[Name of Managing Underwriter]
[Address]


Ladies and Gentlemen:

     From time to time Farmland Industries, Inc., a corporation incorporated
under the laws of the State of Kansas (the "Company"), proposes to enter into
one or more Pricing Agreements (each a "Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex
I hereto, with such additions and deletions as the parties thereto may
determine, and, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and therein,
to issue and sell to the firms named in Schedule I to the applicable Pricing
Agreement (such firms constituting the "Underwriters" with respect to such
Pricing Agreement and the securities specified therein) certain of its debt
securities (the "Securities") specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement
(with respect to such Pricing Agreement, the "Designated Securities").

     The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities
shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or
pursuant to the indenture (the "Indenture") identified in such Pricing
Agreement.

     1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time
to the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, for whom the firms designated
as representatives of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities in the
Pricing Agreement relating thereto will act as representatives (the
"Representatives"). The term "Representatives" also refers to a single firm
acting as sole representative of the Underwriters and to an Underwriter or
Underwriters who act without any firm being designated as its or their
representatives. This Underwriting Agreement shall not be construed as an
obligation of the Company to sell any of the Securities or as an obligation of
any of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities. The obligation of the
Company to issue and sell any of the Securities and the obligation of any of the
Underwriters to purchase any of the Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing
Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities specified therein. Each
Pricing Agreement shall specify the aggregate principal amount of such
Designated Securities, the initial public offering price of such Designated
Securities, the purchase price to the Underwriters of such Designated
Securities, the names of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the
names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and the principal amount of
such Designated Securities to be purchased
<PAGE>
 
by each Underwriter and shall set forth the date, time and manner of delivery of
such Designated Securities and payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall
also specify (to the extent not set forth in the Indenture and the registration
statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of such Designated
Securities. A Pricing Agreement shall be in the form of an executed writing
(which may be in counterparts), and may be evidenced by an exchange of
telegraphic communications or any other rapid transmission device designed to
produce a written record of communications transmitted. The obligations of the
Underwriters under this Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be several
and not joint.

     2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:

        (a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-61709) in respect
     of the Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission (the "Commission"); such registration statement and any post-
     effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to the
     Representatives and, excluding exhibits to such registration statement, but
     including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus
     contained therein, to the Representatives for each of the other
     Underwriters, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form;
     no other document with respect to such registration statement or document
     incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted
     for filing with the Commission (other than prospectuses filed pursuant to
     Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
     Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), each in the form heretofore
     delivered to the Representatives); and no stop order suspending the
     effectiveness of such registration statement has been issued and no
     proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the
     Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in such registration
     statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the
     Act, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of
     such registration statement, including, if applicable, the form of final
     prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act
     in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A
     under the Act to be part of the registration statement at the time it was
     declared effective, including all exhibits thereto and the documents
     incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the registration
     statement at the time such part of the registration statement became
     effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at the time such part of
     the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively
     called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the
     Securities, in the form in which it has most recently been filed, or
     transmitted for filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of this
     Agreement, being hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein
     to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
     and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the
     applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary
     Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
     amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
     shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed with the
     Commission after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as
     the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
     "Exchange Act"), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary
     Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
     amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and
     include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or
     15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration
     Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement;
     and any reference to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be
     deemed to refer to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to
     the applicable Designated Securities in the form in which it is filed with
     the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with
     Section 5(a) hereof, including any documents incorporated by reference
     therein as of the date of such filing);

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
        (b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they
     became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be,
     conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the
     Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
     Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
     to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
     misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
     reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto,
     when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as
     the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements
     of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and
     regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
     be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
     misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall
     not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
     conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an
     Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly
     for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such
     Securities;

        (c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any
     further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of
     the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
     Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
     and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the
     Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable
     filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
     contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
     fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
     therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and
     warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance
     upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company
     by an Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives
     expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to
     such Securities;

        (d) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (as defined below)
     has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
     included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any material loss
     or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
     calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
     court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth
     or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of
     which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
     Prospectus, there has not been any decrease in the capital shares and
     equities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any change in the
     long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $25
     million, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a
     prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business,
     management, financial position, capital shares and equities or results of
     operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each
     case otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, as
     used herein, "Subsidiary" means those subsidiaries of the Company listed in
     Annex III hereto;

        (e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
     corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas, with
     power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct
     its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as
     a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good
     standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or
     leases

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
     properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or
     is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure
     to be so qualified or in good standing in any such jurisdiction; and each
     Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
     existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
     jurisdiction of incorporation;

        (f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
     Prospectus, and all of the issued capital shares of the Company have been
     duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-
     assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each
     Subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued,
     are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors' qualifying
     shares and except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
     supplemented) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and
     clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;

        (g) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when Designated
     Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the
     Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities, such
     Designated Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued
     and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of
     the Company, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
     fraudulent transfer, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general
     applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and to
     general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is
     considered in a proceeding at law or in equity); such Designated Securities
     will be entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, which will be
     substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
     Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized and qualified under the
     Trust Indenture Act and, at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
     Securities (as defined in Section 4 hereof), the Indenture will constitute
     a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its
     terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
     reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent conveyance and
     other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors'
     rights and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
     enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity);

        (h) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the
     Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this
     Agreement and any Pricing Agreement and the consummation of the
     transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
     result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
     constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
     agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party
     or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets
     of the Company is subject (except for such conflicts, breaches, violations
     or defaults as would not have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined
     below)), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of
     the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company; nor will such
     action result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or
     regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
     over the Company or any of its properties, assuming compliance by the
     underwriters with their obligations under Blue Sky laws; and no consent,
     approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with
     any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and
     sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the
     transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Pricing Agreement or the
     Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Time of
     Delivery, obtained under the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture
     Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or
     qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws
     in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the
     Underwriters; As used herein, "Material Adverse Effect" means a material
     adverse effect on the

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
     business, management, financial condition, capital shares and equities or
     results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;

        (i) The statements set forth in the Prospectus, as amended and
     supplemented, in respect of the __% Senior Notes Due 2006 covered by a
     Pricing Agreement executed contemporaneously with the execution of this
     Agreement (the "Senior Notes") under the captions "Description of Debt
     Securities" and "Description of the Senior Notes", insofar as they purport
     to constitute a summary of the terms of the Senior Notes and the Indenture,
     are accurate and fair in all material respects;

        (j) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of
     its Articles of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the performance
     or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
     contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease
     or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or
     any of its properties may be bound (except for such conflicts, breaches,
     violations or defaults as would not have a Material Adverse Effect);

        (k) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, as amended and
     supplemented, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to
     which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any
     property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if
     determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would
     individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to
     the best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
     contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

        (l) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale
     of the Securities, will not be an "investment company" or an entity
     "controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are defined in the
     Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");

        (m) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business with the
     government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba within
     the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes; and

        (n) KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, who have certified certain financial
     statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
     accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Act and the
     rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

     3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any Designated
Securities and authorization by the Representatives of the release of such
Designated Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such Designated
Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented.

     4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to
the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in the form specified in such Pricing
Agreement, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as
the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to
the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such

                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by certified or
official bank check or checks, payable to the order of the Company in the funds
specified in such Pricing Agreement, all in the manner and at the place and time
and date specified in such Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and
date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time
and date being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such Securities.

     5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Securities:

        (a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to
     the applicable Designated Securities in a form approved by the
     Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
     the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the second
     business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing Agreement
     relating to the applicable Designated Securities or, if applicable, such
     earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b) or Rule 430A(a)(3); to make
     no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or
     Prospectus as amended or supplemented after the date of the Pricing
     Agreement relating to such Securities and prior to the Time of Delivery for
     such Securities which shall be disapproved by the Representatives for such
     Securities promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the
     Representatives promptly of any such amendment or supplement after such
     Time of Delivery and furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to
     file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information
     statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant
     to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the
     delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or
     sale of such Securities, and during such same period to advise the
     Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time
     when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes
     effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has
     been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any
     stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
     prospectus relating to such Securities, of the suspension of the
     qualification of such Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
     of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or
     of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the
     Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in
     the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order
     preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to such
     Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best
     efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

        (b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
     Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Securities for
     offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the
     Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit
     the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as
     long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of such Securities,
     provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to
     qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
     process in any jurisdiction;

        (c) To furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus as amended
     or supplemented in such quantities as the Representatives may from time to
     time reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required
     at any time in connection with the offering or sale of such Securities and
     if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the
     Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
     in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
     under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not
     misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such
     same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the
     Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in
     order to comply with the

                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
     Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the
     Representatives and upon their request to file such document and to prepare
     and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in
     securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time
     reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the
     Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
     compliance;

        (d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
     practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
     effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)
     under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
     (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the
     rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the
     option of the Company, Rule 158); and

        (e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing Agreement
     for such Designated Securities and continuing to and including the later of
     (i) the termination of trading restrictions for such Designated Securities,
     as notified to the Company by the Representatives (it being understood that
     the Representatives promptly will notify the Company as to the occurrence
     of the termination of trading restrictions on such Designated Securities)
     and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, not to offer,
     sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the
     Company which mature more than one year after such Time of Delivery and
     which are substantially similar to such Designated Securities, without the
     prior written consent of the Representatives.

     6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the
Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements
and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the
registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in
connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and
supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the
Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement
among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any Indenture, any
Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any
compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering,
purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection
with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state
securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Surveys;
(iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities;
(v) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the
Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vii) the fees and
expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for any Trustee in connection with any Indenture and
the Securities; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will
pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel,
transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising
expenses connected with any offers they may make.

     7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be subject,
in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or
incorporated by 

                                      -7-
<PAGE>
 
reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities are,
at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, true and
correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its
obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional
conditions:

        (a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the
     applicable Designated Securities shall have been filed with the Commission
     pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for
     such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance
     with Section 5(a) hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
     Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no
     proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
     Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the
     Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives' reasonable
     satisfaction;

        (b) Counsel for the Underwriters shall have furnished to the
     Representatives such opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery for
     such Designated Securities, with respect to incorporation of the Company
     and the matters covered in paragraph (xii) of subsection (c) below and the
     matters covered in subsection (d) below as well as such other related
     matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel
     shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably
     request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

        (c) Robert B. Terry, Vice President and General Counsel of the Company,
     shall have furnished to the Representatives his written opinion, dated the
     Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance
     satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

            (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
     as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
     incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and
     conduct its business as described in the Prospectus as amended or
     supplemented;

            (ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in
     the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and all of the issued capital
     shares of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and
     are fully paid and non-assessable;

            (iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation
     for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of
     each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts
     any business so as to require such qualification or is subject to no
     material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so
     qualified or in good standing in any such jurisdiction (such counsel being
     entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon certificates
     of public officials and upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of
     matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that
     such counsel shall state that they believe that both you and they are
     justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates);

            (iv) Each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and
     is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
     jurisdiction of incorporation; and all of the issued shares of capital
     stock of each such Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and
     issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except for directors'
     qualifying shares and except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus as
     amended or
               
                                      -8-
<PAGE>
 
     supplemented) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and
     clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims (such counsel being
     entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon certificates
     of public officials and upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of
     matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or its
     Subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that they believe that
     both you and they are justified in relying upon such opinions and
     certificates);

            (v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set
     forth in the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, there are no legal or
     governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of
     its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the
     Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate
     have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of such counsel's
     knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
     governmental authorities or threatened by others;

            (vi) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
     qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body
     having jurisdiction over the Company is required for the issue and sale of
     the Designated Securities or the consummation by the Company of the
     transactions contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing Agreement or
     the Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act, the
     Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals,
     authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required
     under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
     distribution of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters;

            (vii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
     violation of its By-laws or Articles of Incorporation or in default in the
     performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant
     or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan
     agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by
     which it or any of its properties may be bound (except for such violations
     or defaults as would not have a Material Adverse Effect);

            (viii) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and the
     compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Designated
     Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with
     respect to the Designated Securities and the consummation of the
     transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
     result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
     constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
     agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which
     the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of
     the property or assets of the Company is subject (except for such
     conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults as would not have a Material
     Adverse Effect), nor will such actions result in any violation of the
     provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company; nor
     will such actions result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule
     or regulation known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or
     body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties,
     assuming compliance by the underwriters with their obligations under Blue
     Sky laws;

            (ix) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the
     Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
     the Company;

                                      -9-
<PAGE>
 
            (x) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed,
     issued and delivered by the Company; the Indenture has been duly
     authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

            (xi) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as
     amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and related
     schedules and other financial information included therein or excluded
     therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they
     became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be,
     complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
     Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of
     the Commission thereunder; and he has no reason to believe that any of such
     documents, when they became effective or were so filed, as the case may be
     (other than the financial statements and related schedules and other
     financial information included therein or excluded therefrom, as to which
     such counsel need express no opinion), contained, in the case of a
     registration statement which became effective under the Act, an untrue
     statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
     to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
     misleading, or, in the case of other documents which were filed under the
     Act or the Exchange Act with the Commission, an untrue statement of a
     material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to
     make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
     they were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading; and

            (xii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or
     supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the
     Company prior to the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities (other
     than the financial statements and related schedules and other financial
     information included therein or excluded therefrom, as to which such
     counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects
     with the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules
     and regulations thereunder; although he does not assume any responsibility
     for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in
     the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented,
     he has no reason to believe that, as of its effective date, the
     Registration Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the Company
     prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and
     related schedules and other financial information included therein or
     excluded therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
     contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
     material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
     statements therein not misleading or that, as of its date, the Prospectus
     as amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement thereto
     made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial
     statements and related schedules and other financial information included
     therein or excluded therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no
     opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
     state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
     light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or
     that, as of the Time of Delivery, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
     or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to
     the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related
     schedules and other financial information included therein or excluded
     therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contains an
     untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
     necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
     under which they were made, not misleading; and he does not know of any
     contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as an
     exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by
     reference into the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or required to be
     described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or
     supplemented which are not filed or incorporated by reference or described
     as required;

                                      -10-
<PAGE>
 
     In rendering such opinion, such counsel may state that he expresses no
     opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than United States federal
     and Kansas law.

       (d) Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, Special Counsel to the
     Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion,
     dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and
     substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:

         (i) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized and when
     executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the terms
     of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in
     accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Pricing
     Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
     Company, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
     fraudulent transfer, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general
     applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and to
     general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is
     considered in a proceeding at law or in equity); and will be entitled to
     the benefits provided by the Indenture;

         (ii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
     the parties thereto and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument,
     enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, to bankruptcy,
     insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent
     conveyance and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
     creditors' rights and to general principles of equity (regardless of
     whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity);
     and the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;

         (iii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions
     "Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of the Senior Notes"
     insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Senior
     Notes and the Indenture are accurate and fair in all material respects;

         (iv) The Company is not an "investment company", as such term is
     defined in the Investment Company Act;

     In rendering such opinion, such counsel may state that (a) they express no
     opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than United States federal
     and New York law and (b) insofar as laws of the State of Kansas are
     relevant, they are relying solely on the opinion of Robert B. Terry, Vice
     President and General Counsel of the Company.

       (e) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Securities
     and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, the independent
     accountants of the Company who have certified the financial statements of
     the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in
     the Registration Statement shall have furnished to the Representatives a
     letter, dated the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date
     of the most recent report filed with the Commission containing financial
     statements and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, if
     the date of such report is later than such effective date, and a letter
     dated such Time of Delivery, respectively, to the effect set forth in Annex
     II hereto, and with respect to such letter dated such Time of Delivery, as
     to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in
     form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;

                                     -11-
<PAGE>
 
       (f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have
     sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
     included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or
     supplemented prior to or on the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to
     the Designated Securities any loss or interference with its business from
     fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by
     insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order
     or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as
     amended or supplemented prior to or on the date of the Pricing Agreement
     relating to the Designated Securities, and (ii) since the respective dates
     as of which information is given in the Prospectus as amended or
     supplemented prior to or on the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to
     the Designated Securities there shall not have been any change in the
     capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
     or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or
     affecting the business, management, financial position, capital shares and
     equities or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken
     as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus
     as amended or supplemented prior to or on the date of the Pricing Agreement
     relating to the Designated Securities, the effect of which, in any such
     case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the
     Representatives so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or
     inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
     Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
     Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
     Securities;

       (g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
     Designated Securities (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
     accorded the Company's debt securities or by any "nationally recognized
     statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the Commission
     for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization
     shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review,
     with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's
     debt securities;

       (h) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
     Designated Securities there shall not have occurred any of the following:
     (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally
     on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a general moratorium on commercial
     banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State
     authorities; or (iii) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving
     the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national
     emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this clause
     (iii) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or
     inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
     Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
     Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
     Securities; and

       (i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
     Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities a
     certificate or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the
     Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of
     the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the
     performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be
     performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth
     in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section and as to such other matters as
     the Representatives may reasonably request.

     8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out

                                      -12-
<PAGE>
 
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are
based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent
that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or any such
amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter of Designated Securities
through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

        (b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement,
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or any such amendment or supplement,
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use
therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

        (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent
of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or
claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought
hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party
to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i)
includes an unconditional release

                                     -13-
<PAGE>
 
of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim
and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

        (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable
to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities
on the other from the offering of the Designated Securities to which such loss,
claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however,
the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted
by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required
under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated
Securities on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds
from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to
the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriters.
The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Underwriters on the other and
the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if
the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be
deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the applicable Designated Securities underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of the Underwriters
of Designated Securities in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations with respect to such
Securities and not joint.

        (e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

                                     -14-
<PAGE>
 
     9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing
Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives may in
their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties to
purchase such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein.  If within
thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do
not arrange for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company
shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to
procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to
purchase such Designated Securities on such terms.  In the event that, within
the respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that
they have so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, or the
Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of
such Designated Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the
right to postpone the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities for a
period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may
thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the
Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the opinion of the
Representatives may thereby be made necessary.  The term "Underwriter" as used
in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with
like effect as if such person had originally been a party to the Pricing
Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities.

        (b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of
the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated
Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement
relating to such Designated Securities and, in addition, to require each non-
defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal
amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under
such Pricing Agreement) of the Designated Securities of such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but
nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its
default.

        (c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased
exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated
Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities
shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company
and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and
contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

     10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and
other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in
this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.

                                     -15-
<PAGE>
 
     11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9
hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter
with respect to the Designated Securities covered by such Pricing Agreement
except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason
Designated Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as
provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the
Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the
Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably
incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and
delivery of such Designated Securities, but the Company shall then be under no
further liability to any Underwriter with respect to such Designated Securities
except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.

     12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of
Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the
parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.

     All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement: Attention: John Berardi; provided, however, that any
notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or
sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address
set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such
Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the
Representatives upon request.  Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

     13. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent
provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company
and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement.  No purchaser of any of the Securities
from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of
such purchase.

     14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used herein,
"business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in Washington,
D.C. is open for business.

     15. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

     16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one or
more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

                                     -16-
<PAGE>
 
     IF THE FOREGOING IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING, PLEASE SIGN AND
RETURN TO US FIVE COUNTERPARTS HEREOF.


                                   Very truly yours,

                                   FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                   By:
                                      --------------------------------
                                      Name:
                                      Title:


Accepted as of the date hereof:

[Managing Underwriter]


By:
   -------------------------------
  [Managing Underwriter]

                                     -17-
<PAGE>
 
                                                                      ANNEX I

                               PRICING AGREEMENT
                               -----------------



[Managing Underwriter]
 As Representatives of the several
 Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
[Address]


                                                    ___________________, 19..
                                                       

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Farmland Industries, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the
State of Kansas (the "Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions
stated herein and in the Underwriting Agreement, dated ___________________,
19_____ (the "Underwriting Agreement"), between the Company on the one hand and
______________ on the other hand, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the Securities specified in Schedule II
hereto (the "Designated Securities").  Each of the provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and
shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such
provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the representations
and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of
the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each representation and warranty
which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall
be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting
Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a
representation and warranty as of the date of this Pricing Agreement in relation
to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
Securities which are the subject of this Pricing Agreement.  Each reference to
the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement
so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to you.  Unless otherwise
defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as
therein defined.  The Representatives designated to act on behalf of the
Representatives and on behalf of each of the Underwriters of the Designated
Securities pursuant to Section 12 of the Underwriting Agreement and the address
of the Representatives referred to in such Section 12 are set forth at the end
of Schedule II hereto.

     An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
<PAGE>
 
     Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place
and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us five counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters
and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf
of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in
a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to
the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on the part of
the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.

                                   Very truly yours,

                                   FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.


                                   By:
                                      -----------------------------------
                                      Name:
                                      Title:



Accepted as of the date hereof:

[Managing Underwriter]


By:
   ----------------------------------
     [Managing Underwriter]

On behalf of each of the Underwriters

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE I


                                          PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF
                                          DESIGNATED SECURITIES
                                          TO BE PURCHASED
                                          ---------------------

[Names of Underwriters]                 $

                                          ---------------------

                               Total      $




<PAGE>
 
                                  SCHEDULE II


TITLE OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:



AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:



PRICE TO PUBLIC:

         % of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
     interest, if any, from                  to

PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:

         % of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
     interest from
         to

FORM OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:

     [Definitive form to be made available for checking and packaging by the
     Representatives at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at
     the office of The Depository Trust Company or its designated custodian.]

     [Book-entry only form represented by one or more global securities
     deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its designated
     custodian, to be made available for checking by the Representatives at
     least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of
     DTC.]

SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:

  

TIME OF DELIVERY:

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
        a.m. New York City time,                      , 19

INDENTURE:

     Indenture dated                    , 1996, between the Company and The
     Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association), as Trustee

MATURITY:

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
INTEREST RATE:

     [   %]

INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:

     [months and dates, commencing ....................., 19..]

REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:



SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:



FLOATING RATE PROVISIONS:


DEFEASANCE PROVISIONS:


CLOSING LOCATION FOR DELIVERY OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:


ADDITIONAL CLOSING CONDITIONS:
   

NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:

     Designated Representatives:

     Address for Notices, etc.:

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
   
[OTHER TERMS]:

                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
                                                                        ANNEX II


     Pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:

          (i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to
     the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the
     applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;

          (ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary
     financial information and schedules audited (and, if applicable, financial
     forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by them and
     included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
     Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
     accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and
     the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable,
     they have made a review in accordance with standards established by the
     American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated
     interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
     information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements
     derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods
     specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of
     which have been separately furnished to the representative or
     representatives of the Underwriters (the "Representatives") such term to
     include an Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm being
     designated as its or their representatives;

          (iii) They have performed the procedures specified by the American
     Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim financial
     information as described in SAS 71, Interim Financial Information, on the
     unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements
     of operations and cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included in
     the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q and Form 10-Q/A, if applicable,
     incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their reports
     thereon copies of which have been separately furnished to the
     Representatives; and on the basis of specified procedures including
     inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial
     and accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited condensed
     consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below
     comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
     requirements of the Exchange Act as it applies to Form 10-Q and the related
     published rules and regulations, nothing came to their attention that
     caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial
     statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
     applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the
     related published rules and regulations;

          (iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the
     consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company
     for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and
     included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's Annual
     Report on Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A, if applicable, for the most recent
     fiscal year agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatement where
     applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for five such
     fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference in the
     Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A, if applicable, for
     such fiscal years;
<PAGE>
 
          (v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus or
     incorporated by reference in the company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K and
     Form 10-K/A, if applicable, for the applicable fiscal years under selected
     captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on the
     basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came to their
     attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to
     believe that this information does not conform in all material respects
     with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d),
     respectively, of Regulation S-K;

          (vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
     examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
     consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
     information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
     financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the
     minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the
     latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference
     in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its
     subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such
     other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing
     came to their attention that caused them to believe that:

          (A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets and
     consolidated statements of operations and cash flows included in the
     Prospectus and/or included or incorporated by reference in the Company's
     Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-Q/A, if applicable, incorporated
     by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
     respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act
     and the related published rules and regulations, or (ii) any material
     modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated
     balance sheets and consolidated statements of operations and cash flows
     included in the Prospectus or included in the Company's Quarterly Reports
     on Form 10-Q and Form 10-Q/A, if applicable, incorporated by reference in
     the Prospectus for them to be in conformity with generally accepted
     accounting principles;

          (B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items
     included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding items in the
     unaudited consolidated financial statements from which such data and items
     were derived, and any such unaudited data and items were not determined on
     a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
     amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included or
     incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and
     Form 10-K/A, if applicable, for the most recent fiscal year;

          (C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included in the
     Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed financial
     statements referred to in clause (A) and any unaudited income statement
     data and balance sheet items included in the Prospectus and referred to in
     Clause (B) were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the
     basis for the audited financial statements included or incorporated by
     reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A, if
     applicable, for the most recent fiscal year;

          (D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
     statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not
     comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
     requirements of the Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder
     or the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the
     historical amounts in the compilation of those statements;

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
          (E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the date
     of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated capital
     stock (other than issuances of capital stock upon exercise of options and
     stock appreciation rights, upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon
     conversions of convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding
     on the date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by
     reference in the Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term
     debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated
     net current assets or stockholders' equity or other items specified by the
     Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the
     Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the latest
     balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,
     except in each case for changes, increases or decreases which the
     Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in
     such letter; and

          (F) for the period from the date of the latest financial statements
     included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to the specified
     date referred to in Clause (E) there were any decreases in consolidated net
     sales or the net income or other items specified by the Representatives, or
     any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case
     as compared with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any
     other period of corresponding length specified by the Representatives,
     except in each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus
     discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
     and

          (vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s) included
     or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures,
     inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in
     paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified
     procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with generally accepted
     auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
     financial information specified by the Representatives which are derived
     from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries,
     which appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by
     reference), or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the
     Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents
     incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the
     Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages and
     financial information with the accounting records of the Company and its
     subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.

     All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on
the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Securities for
purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       ANNEX III

   
[List of the Company's "significant subsidiaries"]

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1
                                                                [Draft--2/16/96]

                 ==============================================

                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.

                                       to

            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION), Trustee

                                 -------------

                                   INDENTURE

                       Dated as of _______________, 1996


                                 -------------



                           Providing for Issuance of



                           Debt Securities in Series


                ===============================================
<PAGE>
 
Reconciliation and tie between Indenture, dated as of ____________, 1996, and
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

       Trust Indenture Act                   Indenture
       of 1939 Section                       Section
<S>                                          <C>
 
            310(a)(1)                        6.12
               (a)(2)                        6.12
               (a)(3)                        TIA
               (a)(4)                        Not applicable
                                             TIA
               (a)(5)                        6.10; 6.12; TIA
 
               311(a)                        TIA
                  (b)                        TIA
 
               312(a)                        6.8; 6.16
                  (b)                        6.16; TIA
                  (c)                        6.16; TIA
 
               313(a)                        6.7; 8.7; TIA
                  (b)                        TIA
                  (c)                        1.6; TIA
                  (d)                        TIA
 
               314(a)                        9.6; 9.7; TIA
                  (b)                        Not Applicable
               (c)(1)                        1.2
               (c)(2)                        1.2
               (c)(3)                        Not Applicable
                  (d)                        Not Applicable
                  (e)                        1.2
 
               315(a)                        6.1; TIA
                  (b)                        6.6
                  (c)                        TIA
               (d)(1)                        6.1; TIA
               (d)(2)                        6.1; TIA
               (d)(3)                        6.1; TIA
                  (e)                        TIA
 
316(a)(last sentence)                        1.1
            (a)(1)(A)                        5.2; 5.8
            (a)(1)(B)                        5.7
                  (b)                        5.9; 5.10
                  (c)                        1.4; TIA
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                          <C>
            317(a)(1)                        5.3
               (a)(2)                        5.4
                  (b)                        9.3
 
               318(a)                        1.11
                  (b)                        TIA
                  (c)                        1.11; TIA
</TABLE> 
- -----------------------

     This reconciliation and tie section does not constitute part of the
Indenture.

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<S>                       <C>                                           <C>
ARTICLE 1          Definitions and Other Provisions of General
                   Application........................................    1
 
     Section 1.1          Definitions.................................    1
     Section 1.2          Compliance Certificates and Opinions........    9
     Section 1.3          Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee......   10
     Section 1.4          Acts of Holders.............................   11
     Section 1.5          Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company.......   12
     Section 1.6          Notice to Holders; Waiver...................   12
     Section 1.7          Headings and Table of Contents..............   13
     Section 1.8          Successors and Assigns......................   13
     Section 1.9          Separability................................   13
     Section 1.10         Benefits of Indenture.......................   13
     Section 1.11         Governing Law...............................   13
     Section 1.12         Legal Holidays..............................   14
     Section 1.13         Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and      
                          Directors of the Company Exempt from           
                          Individual Liability........................   14
                                                                         
ARTICLE 2          Security Forms.....................................   15
                                                                         
     Section 2.1          Forms Generally.............................   15
     Section 2.2          Form of Trustee's Certificate of               
                          Authentication..............................   15
     Section 2.3          Securities in Global Form...................   15
                                                                         
ARTICLE 3          The Securities.....................................   17
                                                                         
     Section 3.1          Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series........   17
     Section 3.2          Denominations...............................   20
     Section 3.3          Execution, Authentication, Delivery and        
                          Dating......................................   20
     Section 3.4          Temporary Securities........................   23
     Section 3.5          Registration, Registration of Transfer         
                          and Exchange................................   24
     Section 3.6          Replacement Securities......................   27
     Section 3.7          Payment of Interest; Interest Rights           
                          Preserved...................................   28
     Section 3.8          Persons Deemed Owners.......................   29
     Section 3.9          Cancellation................................   30
     Section 3.10         Computation of Interest.....................   30
     Section 3.11         CUSIP Numbers...............................   30
                                                                         
ARTICLE 4          Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance.............   30
 
     Section 4.1          Termination of Company's Obligations
</TABLE>

                                      -i-
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>                                           <C>
                          Under the Indenture.........................   30
     Section 4.2          Application of Trust Funds..................   32
     Section 4.3          Applicability of Defeasance Provisions......   32
     Section 4.4          Defeasance and Discharge....................   32
     Section 4.5          Covenant Defeasance.........................   33
     Section 4.6          Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant           
                          Defeasance..................................   33
     Section 4.7          Deposited Money and Government                 
                          Obligations to be Held in Trust.............   35
     Section 4.8          Transfers and Distribution at Company          
                          Request.....................................   36
                                                                         
ARTICLE 5          Defaults and Remedies..............................   37
                                                                         
     Section 5.1          Events of Default...........................   37
     Section 5.2          Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment......   38
     Section 5.3          Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for       
                          Enforcement by Trustee......................   39
     Section 5.4          Trustee May File Proofs of Claim............   40
     Section 5.5          Trustee May Enforce Claims Without             
                          Possession of Securities....................   40
     Section 5.6          Delay or Omission not Waiver................   40
     Section 5.7          Waiver of Past Defaults.....................   40
     Section 5.8          Control by Majority.........................   40
     Section 5.9          Limitation on Suits by Holders..............   41
     Section 5.10         Rights of Holders to Receive Payment........   42
     Section 5.11         Application of Money Collected..............   42
     Section 5.12         Restoration of Rights and Remedies..........   42
     Section 5.13         Rights and Remedies Cumulative..............   42
                                                                         
ARTICLE 6          The Trustee........................................   43
                                                                         
     Section 6.1          Certain Duties and Responsibilities.........   43
     Section 6.2          Rights of Trustee...........................   44
     Section 6.3          Trustee May Hold Securities.................   46
     Section 6.4          Money Held in Trust.........................   46
     Section 6.5          Trustee's Disclaimer........................   46
     Section 6.6          Notice of Defaults..........................   46
     Section 6.7          Reports by Trustee to Holders...............   47
     Section 6.8          Securityholder Lists........................   47
     Section 6.9          Compensation and Indemnity..................   47
     Section 6.10         Replacement of Trustee......................   48
     Section 6.11         Acceptance of Appointment by Successor......   50
     Section 6.12         Eligibility; Disqualification...............   51
     Section 6.13         Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or           
                          Succession to Business......................   52
     Section 6.14         Appointment of Authenticating Agent.........   52
     Section 6.15         Trustee's Application for Instructions         
                          from the Company............................   54
</TABLE>

                                     -ii-
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>                                           <C>
     Section 6.16         Preservation of Information;
                          Communications to Holders...................   54
 
ARTICLE 7          Consolidation, Merger or Sale by the Company.......   55
                                                                         
     Section 7.1          Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets        
                          Permitted...................................   55
                                                                         
ARTICLE 8          Supplemental Indentures............................   55
                                                                         
     Section 8.1          Supplemental Indentures Without Consent        
                          of Holders..................................   55
     Section 8.2          With Consent of Holders.....................   57
     Section 8.3          Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.........   58
     Section 8.4          Execution of Supplemental Indentures........   58
     Section 8.5          Effect of Supplemental Indentures...........   58
     Section 8.6          Reference in Securities to Supplemental        
                          Indentures..................................   58
     Section 8.7          Notice to Holders...........................   59
                                                                         
ARTICLE 9          Covenants..........................................   59
                                                                         
     Section 9.1          Payment of Principal, Premium, if any,         
                          and Interest................................   59
     Section 9.2          Maintenance of Office or Agency.............   59
     Section 9.3          Money for Securities to Be Held in Trust;      
                          Unclaimed Money.............................   60
     Section 9.4          Corporate Existence.........................   62
     Section 9.5          Insurance...................................   62
     Section 9.6          Reports by the Company......................   62
     Section 9.7          Annual Review Certificate; Notice of           
                          Default.....................................   63
     Section 9.8          Provision of Financial Statements...........   63
     Section 9.9          Limitation on Liens.........................   63
     Section 9.10         Ownership of Material Subsidiary Stock......   66
     Section 9.11         Transactions with Affiliates................   66
     Section 9.12         Prepayment of Subordinated Debt.............   66
     Section 9.13         Restriction on Certain Payments.............   67
     Section 9.14         Waiver of Certain Covenants.................   67
                                                                         
ARTICLE 10         Redemption.........................................   68
                                                                         
     Section 10.1         Applicability of Article....................   68
     Section 10.2         Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.......   68
     Section 10.3         Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed......   68
     Section 10.4         Notice of Redemption........................   69
     Section 10.5         Deposit of Redemption Price.................   70
     Section 10.6         Securities Payable on Redemption Date.......   70
     Section 10.7         Securities Redeemed in Part.................   70
</TABLE>

                                     -iii-
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>                                           <C>
ARTICLE 11         Sinking Funds......................................   71
 
     Section 11.1         Applicability of Article....................   71
     Section 11.2         Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments
                          with Securities.............................   71
     Section 11.3         Redemption of Securities for Sinking
                          Fund........................................   71
</TABLE>

                                     -iv-
<PAGE>
 
     INDENTURE, dated as of _______________, 1996, from FARMLAND INDUSTRIES,
INC., a Kansas corporation (the "Company"), to THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
(NATIONAL ASSOCIATION), as Trustee (the "Trustee").



                                    Recitals
                                    --------


     The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its debentures, notes
or other evidences of indebtedness (the "Securities") to be issued in one or
more series as herein provided.

     All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the
Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

     This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that
are required to be a part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall
be governed by such provisions.

     For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities
by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and
ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof, as
follows:


                                   ARTICLE 1

                        Definitions and Other Provisions
                        --------------------------------
                             of General Application
                             ----------------------


     Section 1.1  Definitions. (a) For all purposes of this Indenture, except as
otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

          (1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to
     them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

          (2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust
     Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings
     assigned to them therein;

<PAGE>
 
          (3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the
     meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting
     principles, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term
     "generally accepted accounting principles" with respect to any computation
     required or permitted hereunder shall mean such principles as are generally
     accepted at the date of such computation; and

          (4) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of
     similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular
     Article, Section or other subdivision.

     "Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person.  For purposes of this definition, "control"
when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the
management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through
the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms
"controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

     "Authenticating Agent" means any authenticating agent appointed by the
Trustee pursuant to Section 6.14.

     "Board" or "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the
Company, the Executive Committee thereof or any other duly authorized committee
thereof.

     "Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors,
certified by the Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to
have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and
effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

     "Business Day", when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other
particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, means,
unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section
3.1, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on
which banking institutions in that Place of Payment or particular location are
authorized or obligated by law, executive order or regulation to close.

     "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to
time constituted, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such
Commission is not existing and

                                      -2-

<PAGE>
 
performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the
body performing such duties at such time.

     "Company" means the Person named as the Company in the first paragraph of
this Indenture until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to
the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter "Company" means such
successor corporation.

     "Company Order" and "Company Request" mean, respectively, a written order
or request signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman of the Board, the
President, any Executive Vice President or any Senior Vice President, signing
alone, by any Vice President signing together with the Treasurer, any Assistant
Treasurer, the Corporate Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company,
or, with respect to Sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 6.1, any other employee of the
Company named in an Officers' Certificate and delivered to the Trustee.

     "Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee in which at any
particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered,
which office at the date hereof is located at 4 Chase MetroTech Center,
Brooklyn, New York, 11245, Attention: Institutional Trust Group.

     "corporation" includes corporations, associations, partnerships, limited
liability companies, joint stock companies and business trusts.

     "Default" means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time, or
both, would be, an Event of Default.

     "Depositary", when used with respect to the Securities of or within any
series issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, means the Person
designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 3.1 until a
successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter shall mean or include each Person
which is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one
such Person, shall be a collective reference to such Persons.

     "Dollar" or "$" means the coin or currency of the United States of America
as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private
debts.

     "Government Obligations" means securities which are (i) direct obligations
of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and credit is
pledged or (ii) obligations of

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality
of the United States, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a
full faith and credit obligation by the United States, each of which are not
callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also
include (A) a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian
with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest
on or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the
account of the holder of a depositary receipt, provided, however, that (except
as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from
the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount
received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation evidenced by
such depositary receipt, (B) securities that are backed by United States
government obligations as collateral under an arrangement by which the interest
and principal payments on the collateral generally flow immediately through to
the holder of the security, and (C) money market funds, including, without
limitation, The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association) VISTA/sm/ Money
Market Funds, so long as such funds are rated Aaa by Moody's (so long as Moody's
is a rating agency) and AAAm by Standard & Poor's (so long as Standard & Poor's
is a rating agency), and any other funds for which the Trustee or an Affiliate
of the Trustee serves as an investment advisor, administrator, shareholder
servicing agent and/or custodian or subcustodian, provided that any shares of
such funds have a credit rating of at least Aaa by Moody's (so long as Moody's
is a rating agency) and AAAm by Standard & Poor's (so long as Standard & Poor's
is a rating agency) and notwithstanding that the Trustee or an Affiliate of the
Trustee charges and collects fees and expenses from such funds for services
rendered. The Company hereby specifically authorizes the Trustee or an Affiliate
of the Trustee to charge and collect all fees and expenses from such funds for
services rendered to such funds.

     "Holder" means a Person in whose name a Security is registered on the
Register.

     "Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from
time to time be supplemented, amended or modified by one or more indentures
supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof
and, unless the context otherwise requires, shall include the terms of a
particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.1.

                                      -4-


<PAGE>
 
     "interest", when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security
which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable
after Maturity.

     "Interest Payment Date", when used with respect to any Security, means the
Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

     "Material Subsidiary" means, at any particular time, any Subsidiary that,
together with any Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary (i) accounted for more than
five percent (5%) of the consolidated sales of the Company for its most recently
completed fiscal year, or (ii) owned more than five percent (5%) of the
consolidated assets of the Company as at the end of such fiscal year, all as
calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

     "Maturity", where used with respect to any Security, means the date on
which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due
and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by
declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

     "Officer" means the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, any
Executive Vice President, any Senior Vice President, any Vice President, the
Corporate Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant
Treasurer of the Company.

     "Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the
Board, the President, any Executive Vice President or any Senior Vice President,
signing alone, or by any Vice President signing together with the Corporate
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of
the Company.

     "Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of legal counsel, who may be
(a) counsel for the Company or (b) other counsel designated by the Company.  Any
counsel for the Company may be an employee of the Company.

     "Original Issue Discount Security" means any Security which provides for an
amount less than the stated principal thereof to be due and payable upon
declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.2.

     "Outstanding", when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date
of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under
this Indenture, except:

                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
          (i) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to
     the Trustee for cancellation;

          (ii) Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption
     money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the
     Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside
     and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own
     Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided, however, that,
     if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been
     duly given pursuant to this Indenture and such Securities or provisions
     therefor satisfactory to the Trustee have been made;

          (iii)  Securities, except to the extent provided in Sections 4.4 and
     4.5, with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance and/or
     covenant defeasance as provided in Article 4; and

          (iv) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 3.6 or in
     exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated
     and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in
     respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof
     satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser
     in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, or whether
sufficient funds are available for redemption or for any other purpose, and for
the purpose of making the calculations required by Section 313 of the Trust
Indenture Act, the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Securities
that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall
be deemed to be Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the amount of
principal thereof that would be (or shall have been declared to be) due and
payable, at the time of such determination, upon a declaration of acceleration
of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.2, and Securities owned by the
Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company
or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding,
except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making
such calculation or in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible
Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded

                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
and Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as
Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the
pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee
is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of
the Company or of such other obligor.

     "Paying Agent" means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Securities on behalf of the
Company.

     "Periodic Offering" means an offering of Securities of a series from time
to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation,
the rate or rates of interest or formula for determining the rate or rates of
interest thereon, if any, the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities thereof, the
original issue date or dates thereof, the redemption provisions, if any, with
respect thereto, and any other terms specified as contemplated by Section 3.1
with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company upon the issuance of
such Securities.

     "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision
thereof.

     "Place of Payment", when used with respect to the Securities of or within
any series, means the place or places where, subject to the provisions of
Section 9.2, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Securities
are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 3.1.

     "Predecessor Security" of any particular Security means every previous
Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such
particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security
authenticated and delivered under Section 3.6 in exchange for or in lieu of a
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the
same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

     "Redemption Date", when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed,
means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

     "Redemption Price", when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed
in whole or in part, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to
this Indenture.

                                      -7-
<PAGE>
 
     "Regular Record Date" for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date
on the Securities of or within any series means the date specified for that
purpose as contemplated by Section 3.1.

     "Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean
the chairman or any vice chairman of the board of directors, the chairman or any
vice chairman of the executive committee of the board of directors, the chairman
of the trust committee, the president, any senior vice president, any vice
president, any assistant vice president, the secretary, the treasurer, any
assistant treasurer, the cashier, any assistant cashier, any senior trust
officer, any trust officer, the controller, any assistant controller, or any
other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those
performed by the persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively,
and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other
officer to whom such corporate trust matter is referred because of his knowledge
of and familiarity with the particular subject.

     "Security" or "Securities" has the meaning stated in the first recital of
this Indenture and more particularly means any Security or Securities of the
Company issued, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

     "Special Record Date" for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the
Securities of any series means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section
3.7.

     "Stated Maturity", when used with respect to any Security or any
installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified
in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or
such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

     "Subsidiary" means any corporation of which the Company at the time owns or
controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the shares of outstanding
stock having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect a
majority of the Board of Directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether
or not at the time stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall
have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).

     "Trinidad Venture" means the joint venture to be organized by the Company
and the Mississippi Chemical Corporation to acquire, own, develop, construct
and/or operate a plant to produce

                                      -8-
<PAGE>

anhydrous ammonia and related products (including urea) in the Republic of 
Trinidad and Tobago. 

     "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and any
reference herein to such Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such
Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time
or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the
Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as
the case may be.

     "Trustee" means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this
Indenture until a successor Trustee replaces it pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter "Trustee" means or includes such
successor Trustee and if, at any time, there is more than one Trustee, "Trustee"
as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with
respect to the Securities of that series.

     "United States" means, unless otherwise specified with respect to the
Securities of any series as contemplated by Section 3.1, the United States of
America (including the States and the District of Columbia), its territories,
its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

     (b) The following terms shall have the meanings specified in the Sections
referred to opposite such term below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
          Term                          Section
          ----                          -------
          <S>                           <C>
 
          "Act"                         1.4(a)
          "Bankruptcy Law"              5.1
          "Consolidated Net Worth"      9.9(b)
          "covenant defeasance"         4.5
          "Custodian"                   5.1
          "Defaulted Interest"          3.7(b)
          "defeasance"                  4.4
          "Distribution"                9.13
          "Event of Default"            5.1
          "Exchange Act"                9.6(a)
          "Register"                    3.5
          "Registrar"                   3.5
          "Subordinated Debt"           9.12
</TABLE>

     Section 1.2  Compliance Certificates and Opinions.  Upon any application or
request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of
this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this
Indenture 

                                      -9-
<PAGE>
 
relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of
Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions
precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such
application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is
specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such
particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be
furnished.

     Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or
covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than pursuant to Sections 2.3,
3.3 and 9.7) shall include:

          (1)  a statement that each individual signing such certificate or
     opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein
     relating thereto;

          (2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or
     investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such
     certificate or opinion are based;

          (3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has
     made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to
     express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant
     has been complied with; and

          (4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual,
     such condition or covenant has been complied with.

     Section 1.3  Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.  In any case where
several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of,
any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by,
or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified
or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an
opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to
other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such
matters in one or several documents.

     Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based,
insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of
reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations
with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is 

                                     -10-
<PAGE>
 
based are erroneous. Any such certificate or opinion of counsel may be based,
insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the
information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the
Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should
know, that the certificate or opinion or representations as to such matters are
erroneous.

     Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one instrument.

     Section 1.4  Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to
be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more
instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or
by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly
provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments
are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the
Company.  Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and
evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders
signing such instrument or instruments.  Proof of execution of any such
instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any
purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture
Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company if made in the manner
provided in this Section.

     (b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument
or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a
certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take
acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument
or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof.  Where such execution is
by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such
certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his
authority.  The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or
writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved
in any other reasonable manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

     (c) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Securities held
by any Person, and the date of commencement of such Person's holding the same,
shall be proved by the Register.

                                     -11-
<PAGE>
 
     (d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the
same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of
transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of
anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in
reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such
Security.

     (e) The Company may, in the circumstances permitted by the Trust Indenture
Act, fix a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to make or give
any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver or to
take any other Act authorized or permitted to be made, given or taken by the
Holders, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so.  If such a record
date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other Act may be given before, on or after such record date, but only
the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date (or their
duly designated proxies) shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of
determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding
Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that
purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date.

     Section 1.5  Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company.  Any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or
other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or
furnished to, or filed with,

          (1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient
     for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing
     to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

          (2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient
     for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if
     in writing and mailed, first class postage prepaid, to the Company
     addressed to it at Farmland Industries, Inc., 3315 North Oak Trafficway,
     Kansas City, Missouri, 64116, Attention: Chief Financial Officer or at any
     other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the
     Company.

     Section 1.6  Notice to Holders; Waiver.  Where this Indenture provides for
notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless
otherwise herein 

                                     -12-
<PAGE>
 
expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to
each such Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the
Register, within the time prescribed for the giving of such notice.

     Neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so
mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice
with respect to other Holders of Securities.  Any notice mailed to a Holder in
the manner herein prescribed shall be conclusively deemed to have been received
by such Holder, whether or not such Holder actually receives such notice.

     If by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any
other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice as provided above,
then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall
constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

     Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or
other Act required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English
language.

     Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be
waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before
or after the event, and such waiver shall be equivalent of such notice.  Waivers
of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not
be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon
such waiver.

     Section 1.7  Headings and Table of Contents.  The Article and Section
headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not
affect the construction hereof.

     Section 1.8  Successors and Assigns.  All covenants and agreements in this
Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so
expressed or not.

     Section 1.9  Separability.  In case any provision of this Indenture or the
Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality
and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected
or impaired thereby.

     Section 1.10  Benefits of Indenture.  Nothing in this Indenture or in the
Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties
hereto and their successors hereunder, the Registrar, any Paying Agent and the
Holders, any 

                                     -13-
<PAGE>
 
benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

     Section 1.11 Governing Law. THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
AS APPLIED TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT
REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS. This Indenture is subject to the Trust
Indenture Act and if any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a
provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under the Trust Indenture
Act to be part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control.
If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the
Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision
shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or excluded.

     Section 1.12  Legal Holidays.  Unless otherwise specifically provided for
with respect to any series of Securities, in any case where any Interest Payment
Date, Redemption Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of
any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then
(notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, other
than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that
such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section) payment of principal,
premium, if any, or interest need not be made at such Place of Payment on such
date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of
Payment with the same force and effect as if made on such date; and no interest
shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such
Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated
Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be.

     Section 1.13  Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of the
Company Exempt from Individual Liability.  No recourse under or upon any
obligation, covenant or agreement of or contained in this Indenture or of or
contained in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in
respect thereof, or in any Security, or because of the creation of any
indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator,
stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the
Company or any successor Person, either directly or through the Company or any
successor Person, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law,
or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being
expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and
released as a condition of, and as a consideration 

                                     -14-
<PAGE>
 
for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the Securities.

                                   ARTICLE 2
                                Security Forms
                                --------------

     Section 2.1 Forms Generally. The Securities of each series shall be in
substantially such form (including global form) as shall be established by
delivery to the Trustee of an Officers' Certificate or in one or more indentures
supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions,
substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this
Indenture. Such Securities may have such letters, numbers or other marks of
identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company
may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with this Indenture, or as may
be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange, all as
determined by the officers executing such Securities as evidenced by their
execution of the Securities. If temporary Securities of any series are issued as
permitted by Section 3.4, the form thereof also shall be established as provided
in the preceding sentences. If the forms of Securities of any series are
established by an Officers' Certificate, such Officers' Certificate shall be
delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order
contemplated by Section 3.3 for the authentication and delivery of such
Securities.

     The permanent Securities, if any, shall be printed, lithographed or
engraved or produced by any combination of these methods or may be produced in
any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities,
as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

     Section 2.2 Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication. The Trustee's
certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

     This is one of the Securities of a series issued under the within-mentioned
     Indenture.

                              THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION),
                              as Trustee


                              By:_________________________________
Authorized Signatory

                                     -15-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 2.3 Securities in Global Form. If Securities of or within a series
are issuable in whole or in part in temporary or permanent global form, as
specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, then, notwithstanding clause (8) of
Section 3.1(b) and the provisions of Section 3.2, any such Security shall
represent such of the Outstanding Securities of such series as shall be
specified therein and may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount
of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and that the
aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to
time be reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of a Security in global
form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or
changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby,
shall be made by the Trustee in such manner and upon instructions given by such
Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be
delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.3 or 3.4. Subject to the
provisions of Sections 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver
any Security in global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the
Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. Any
instructions by the Company with respect to endorsement or delivery or
redelivery of a Security in global form shall be in writing (which need not
comply with Section 1.2 hereof and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of
Counsel).

     The provisions of the last paragraph of Section 3.3 shall apply to any
Security in global form if such Security was never issued and sold by the
Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Security in global form
together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 1.2 and
need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction
or increase in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby, together
with the written statement contemplated by the last paragraph of Section 3.3.

     Every Security in global form authenticated and delivered hereunder shall
bear a legend in substantially the following form:

     THIS SECURITY IS A SECURITY ISSUED IN GLOBAL FORM AS CONTEMPLATED BY AND
     WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE DATED AS OF __________ ___, 1996, FROM
     FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC. TO THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK (NATIONAL
     ASSOCIATION), AS TRUSTEE (THE "INDENTURE"), AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME
     OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF.  THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED
     TO, OR REGISTERED OR EXCHANGED FOR SECURITIES IN THE NAME OF, ANY PERSON
     OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF AND NO SUCH TRANSFER MAY BE
     REGISTERED, 

                                     -16-
<PAGE>
 
     EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE. EVERY
     SECURITY AUTHENTICATED AND DELIVERED UPON REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF, OR
     IN EXCHANGE FOR OR IN LIEU OF, THIS SECURITY SHALL BE A SECURITY ISSUED IN
     GLOBAL FORM SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING, EXCEPT IN SUCH LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.


                                   ARTICLE 3

                                 The Securities
                                 --------------

     Section 3.1  Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. (a) The aggregate
principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under
this Indenture is unlimited.  The Securities may be issued from time to time in
one or more series.

     (b) The following matters shall be established and (subject to Section 3.3)
set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers' Certificate, a
Board Resolution or one or more indentures supplemental hereto:

          (1) the title of the Securities of the series (which title shall
     distinguish the Securities of the series from all other Securities);

          (2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of
     the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture
     (which limit shall not pertain to (i) Securities authenticated and
     delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu
     of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 8.6
     or 10.7, and (ii) any Securities which, pursuant to the last paragraph of
     Section 3.3, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered
     hereunder);

          (3) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the
     series is payable or the method of determination thereof;

          (4) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear
     interest, if any, or the method of calculating such rate or rates of
     interest, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue or the
     method by which such date or dates shall be determined, the Interest
     Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable and the Regular
     Record Date, if any, for the interest 

                                     -17-
<PAGE>
 
     payable on any Security of such series on any Interest Payment Date;


          (5) the place or places where, subject to the provisions of Section
     9.2, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Securities
     of the series shall be payable;

          (6) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which,
     and the other terms and conditions upon which, Securities of the series may
     be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and, if
     other than as provided in Section 10.3, the manner in which the particular
     Securities of such series (if less than all Securities of such series are
     to be redeemed) are to be selected for redemption;

          (7) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase
     Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous
     provisions or upon the happening of a specified event or at the option of a
     Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices
     at which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, Securities of the
     series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to
     such obligation;

          (8) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple
     thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be
     issuable;

          (9) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the
     principal amount of the Securities of the series which shall be payable
     upon declaration of acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.2 or the
     method by which such portion shall be determined;

          (10) if other than as provided in Section 3.7, the Person to whom any
     interest on any Security of the series shall be payable, and the extent to
     which, or the manner in which (including any certification requirement and
     other terms and conditions under which), any interest payable on a
     temporary or permanent global Security on an Interest Payment Date will be
     paid if other than in the manner provided in Section 2.3 and Section 3.4,
     as applicable;

          (11) provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of
     Securities of the series upon the occurrence of such events as may be
     specified;

                                     -18-
<PAGE>
 
          (12) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events
     of Default set forth in Section 5.1 or covenants of the Company set forth
     in Article 9 pertaining to the Securities of the series;

          (13) if other than as provided in Sections 4.4 and 4.5, the means of
     defeasance or covenant defeasance as may be specified for the Securities of
     or within the series;

          (14) if other than the Trustee, the identity of the Registrar and any
     Paying Agent;

          (15) whether Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in
     part in temporary or permanent global form and, if so, (i) the initial
     Depositary for such global Securities and (ii) if other than as provided in
     Section 3.4 or 3.5, as applicable, whether and the circumstance under which
     beneficial owners of interests in any Securities of the series in temporary
     or permanent global form may exchange such interests for Securities of such
     series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination; and

          (16) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be
     inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture), including without
     limitation any terms which may be required by or advisable under United
     States laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of
     Securities of the series.

     (c) All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical
except as to denomination and the rate or rates of interest, if any, and Stated
Maturity, the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may
otherwise be provided in or pursuant to an Officers' Certificate or a Board
Resolution pursuant to this Section 3.1 or in an indenture supplemental hereto.
All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless
otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent of the
Holders, for issuances of additional Securities of such series or for the
establishment of additional terms with respect to the Securities of such series.

     (d) If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by
action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of such Board Resolution
shall be certified by the Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the
Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the
Officers' Certificate setting forth, or providing the manner for determining,
the terms of the Securities of such series, and, if

                                     -19-
<PAGE>
 
requested by the Trustee, an appropriate record of any action taken pursuant
thereto in connection with the issuance of any Securities of such series shall
be delivered to the Trustee prior to the authentication and delivery thereof.
With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, such
Board Resolution or Officers' Certificate may provide general terms for
Securities of such series and provide either that the specific terms of
particular Securities of such series shall be specified in a Company Order or
that such terms shall be determined by the Company, or one or more of the
Company's agents designated in an Officers' Certificate, in accordance with the
Company Order as contemplated by the first proviso of the third paragraph of
Section 3.3.

     Section 3.2  Denominations.  Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by
Section 3.1, any Securities of a series shall be issuable in denominations of
$1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

     Section 3.3  Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.  Securities
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chairman, the President, any
Executive Vice President, any Senior Vice President or the Treasurer and
attested to by the Corporate Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company.
The Company's seal shall be affixed to the Securities, or a facsimile of such
seal shall be reproduced on the Securities.  The signatures of such officers on
the Securities may be manual or facsimile.

     Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who
were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such
offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not
hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

     At any time and from time to time, the Company may deliver Securities of
any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together
with a Company Order for the authentication and the delivery of such Securities,
and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and
deliver such Securities; provided, however, that in the case of Securities
offered in a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such
Securities from time to time in accordance with such other procedures
(including, without limitation, the receipt by the Trustee of oral or electronic
instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agents, thereafter promptly
confirmed in writing) acceptable to the Trustee as may be specified by or
pursuant to a Company Order 


                                     -20-
<PAGE>
 
delivered to the Trustee prior to the time of the first authentication of
Securities of such series.

     If the form or terms of the Securities of a series have been established by
or pursuant to one or more Officers' Certificates or one or more Board
Resolutions as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 3.1, in authenticating such
Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in
relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and
(subject to Section 315(a) through (d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be
fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,

          (1) that the forms and terms of such Securities have been established
     in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

          (2) that such Securities when authenticated and delivered by the
     Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any
     conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and
     legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with
     their terms, subject to customary exceptions;

provided, however, that, with respect to Securities of a series subject to a
Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive such Opinion of
Counsel only once at or prior to the time of the first authentication of
Securities of such series and that the Opinion of Counsel above may state:

          (x) that the forms of such Securities have been, and the terms of such
     Securities (when established in accordance with such procedures as may be
     specified from time to time in a Company Order, all as contemplated by and
     in accordance with a Board Resolution or an Officers' Certificate pursuant
     to Section 3.1, as the case may be) will have been, established in
     conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

          (y) that such Securities, when (1) executed by the Company, (2)
     completed, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with
     this Indenture, and (3) issued by the Company in the manner and subject to
     any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid
     and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance
     with their terms, subject to customary exceptions.

                                     -21-

<PAGE>
 
     With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the
Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of
such Securities, the form and terms thereof and the legality, validity, binding
effect and enforceability thereof, upon such Opinion of Counsel and any other
documents delivered pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 3.1, as applicable, at or prior
to the time of the first authentication of Securities of such series unless and
until it has received written notification that such opinion or other documents
have been superseded or revoked. In connection with the authentication and
delivery of Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee
shall be entitled to assume that the Company's instructions to authenticate and
deliver such Securities do not violate any rules, regulations or orders of any
governmental agency or commission having jurisdiction over the Company.

     If the form or terms of the Securities of a series have been established by
or pursuant to one or more Officers' Certificates or one or more Board
Resolutions as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 3.1, the Trustee shall have the
right to decline to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities
pursuant to this Indenture will adversely affect the Trustee's own rights,
duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not
reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

     If all of the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it
shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers' Certificate or the Board
Resolution otherwise required pursuant to Section 3.1 at or prior to the time of
the authentication of each Security of such series if such Officers' Certificate
or Board Resolution is delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original
issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.

     If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.1 that the Securities
of a series are to be issued in whole or in part in global form, then the
Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section and
the Company Order with respect to such series, authenticate and deliver one or
more Securities in global form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated
in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the initially issued
Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such Security or
Securities in global form, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the
Depositary for such Security or Securities in global form or the nominee of such
Depositary, and (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or
pursuant to such Depositary's instruction.

                                     -22-

<PAGE>
 
     Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 3.1 for a Security in global
form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as
Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and any other applicable statute or regulation. The Trustee
shall have no responsibility to determine if the Depositary is so registered.

     Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

     No Security shall be entitled to any benefits under this Indenture or be
valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a
certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein
executed by the manual signature of one of the authorized signatories of the
Trustee or an Authenticating Agent.  Such signature upon any Security shall be
conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly
authenticated and delivered under this Indenture and is entitled to the benefits
of this Indenture.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been
authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company,
and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as
provided in Section 3.9 together with a written statement (which need not comply
with Section 1.2 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating
that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all
purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been
authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall not be entitled to the benefits
of this Indenture.

     Section 3.4  Temporary Securities.  Pending the preparation of definitive
Securities of any series, the Company may execute and, upon Company Order, the
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver temporary Securities of such series which
are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in
any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor and form, of the
definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate
insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers
executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their
execution of such Securities.  In the case of Securities of any series, such
temporary Securities may be in global form.

     Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, each of which
shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary
Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause permanent Securities
of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After preparation of
such

                                     -23-

<PAGE>
 
permanent Securities, the temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such
permanent Securities of like tenor upon surrender of the temporary Securities of
such series at the office or agency of the Company pursuant to Section 9.2 in a
Place of Payment for such series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender
for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the
Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange
therefor a like principal amount of permanent Securities of the same series of
authorized denominations and of like tenor. Until so exchanged, the temporary
Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits
under this Indenture as permanent Securities of such series except as otherwise
specified as contemplated by Section 3.1.

     Section 3.5  Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.  The
Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or
in any office or agency to be maintained by the Company in accordance with
Section 9.2 in a Place of Payment, a register (the "Register") in which, subject
to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide
for the registration of Securities and the registration of transfers of
Securities.  The Register shall be in written form or any other form capable of
being converted into written form within a reasonable time.  The Trustee is
hereby initially appointed "Registrar" for the purpose of registering Securities
and transfers of Securities as herein provided.

     Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series
at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 9.2 in a Place of Payment
for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate
and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or
more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a
like aggregate principal amount and tenor.

     At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series (except a Security in
global form) may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any
authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount containing
identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged
at such office or agency.  Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for
exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to
receive.

     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, unless and until it is
exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form in the
circumstances described below, a Security 

                                     -24-

<PAGE>
 
in global form representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may
not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a
nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary
or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee
to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor
Depositary.

     If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series notifies the
Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the
Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of
such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.3, the Company shall
appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of such series.
If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by
the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes
aware of such ineligibility, the Company's election pursuant to Section
3.1(b)(15) shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such
series and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company
Order for the authentication and delivery of certificated Securities of such
series of like tenor, shall authenticate and deliver Securities of such series
of like tenor in certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or
Securities of such series of like tenor in global form in exchange for such
Security or Securities in global form.

     The Company may at any time in its sole discretion determine that
Securities of a series issued in global form shall no longer be represented by
such a Security or Securities in global form.  In such event, the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication
and delivery of certificated Securities of such series of like tenor, shall
authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series of like tenor in
certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate principal
amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities of such
series of like tenor in global form in exchange for such Security or Securities
in global form.

     If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.1 with respect to a
series of Securities, the Depositary for such series may surrender a Security in
global form of such series in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of
such series in certificated form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company
and such Depositary.  Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee
shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge,

                                     -25-

<PAGE>
 
     (i)  to each Person specified by such Depositary a new certificated
          Security or Securities of the same series of like tenor, of any
          authorized denomination as requested by such Person in aggregate
          principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person's beneficial
          interest in the Security in global form; and

     (ii) to such Depositary a new Security in global form of like tenor in a
          denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal
          amount of the surrendered Security in global form and the aggregate
          principal amount of certificated Securities delivered to Holders
          thereof.

     Upon the exchange of a Security in global form for Securities in
certificated form, such Security in global form shall be cancelled by the
Trustee.  Securities in certificated form issued in exchange for a Security in
global form pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in
such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Security in global
form, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or
otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee.  The Trustee shall deliver such
Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

     All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or upon any
exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing
the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the
securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

     Every Security presented or surrendered for registration or transfer or for
exchange shall (if so required by the Company, the Registrar or the Trustee) be
duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Registrar and the Trustee duly executed by the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

     No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or for any
exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection
with any registration or transfer or exchange of Securities, other than
exchanges pursuant to Section 3.4, 8.6 or 10.7 not involving any transfer.

     The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of,
or exchange any Securities for a period beginning at the opening of business 15
days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of
like tenor and of the series 

                                     -26-

<PAGE>
 
of which such Security is a part selected for redemption under Section 10.3 and
ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (ii) to register
the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption, in whole or
in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

     Section 3.6  Replacement Securities.  If a mutilated Security is
surrendered to the Trustee, together with, in proper cases, such security or
indemnity as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to save each of them
and any agent of either of them harmless, the Company shall execute and the
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver a replacement Security of the same series
and principal amount and date of maturity, if the Trustee's requirements are
met.

     If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to
their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii)
such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and
any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the
Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide
purchaser, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security a replacement
Security of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and
provisions as the destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

     In case any such mutilated, destroyed lost or stolen Security has become or
is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead
of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

     Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may
require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including
the fees and expenses of the Trustee or the Registrar) connected therewith.

     Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of
any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional
contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or
stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be
entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with
any and all other Securities of that series duly issued hereunder.

     The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the
extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with 

                                     -27-

<PAGE>
 
respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen
Securities.

     Section 3.7  Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.  (a) Unless
otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, interest, if any, on any
Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any
Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security
(or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business
on the Regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency maintained
for such purpose pursuant to Section 9.2; provided, however, that, at the option
of the Company, interest on any series of Securities that bear interest may be
paid (i) by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as it
shall appear on the Register of Holders of Securities of such series, or (ii) to
the extent specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, by wire transfer to an
account maintained by the Person entitled thereto as specified in the Register
of Holders of Securities of such series.

          (b) Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, any
interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually
paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called
"Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the
relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of his having been such Holder, and such
Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as
provided in clause (1) or (2) below:

          (1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to
     the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their
     respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business
     on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which
     shall be fixed in the following manner.  The Company shall notify the
     Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid
     on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and
     at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of
     money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such
     Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee
     for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when
     deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to
     such Defaulted Interest as in this clause (1) provided.  Thereupon the
     Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted
     Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days
     prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after
     the receipt by the 

                                     -28-

<PAGE>
 
     Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly
     notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the
     expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such
     Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed,
     first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Securities of such series
     at his address as it appears in the Register, not less than 10 days prior
     to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such
     Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so
     mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose
     names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor
     Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special
     Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following
     clause (2).

          (2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the
     Securities of any series to the Persons in whose names the Securities of
     such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at
     the close of business on a specified date in any other lawful manner not
     inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such
     Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such
     exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the
     proposed payment pursuant to this clause (2), such manner of payment shall
     be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

          (c) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section
3.5, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer
of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to
interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other
Security.

     Section 3.8  Persons Deemed Owners.  Prior to due presentment of any
Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of
the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is
registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of
principal of, premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 3.5 and 3.7) interest on
such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such
Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the
Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

     No holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its
behalf by a Depositary shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect
to such global Security, and such Depositary may be treated by the Company, the
Trustee and any agent of the 

                                     -29-

<PAGE>
 
Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes
whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the
Trustee shall have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records
relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a
Security in global form, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any
records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

     Section 3.9  Cancellation.  The Company at any time may deliver Securities
to the Trustee for cancellation.  The Registrar and any Paying Agent shall
forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for replacement, for
registration of transfer, or for exchange or payment.  The Trustee shall cancel
all Securities surrendered for replacement, for registration of transfer, or for
exchange, payment, redemption or cancellation and may dispose of cancelled
Securities and issue a certificate of destruction to the Company.  The Company
may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered
to the Trustee for cancellation, except as expressly permitted in the terms of
Securities for any particular series or as permitted pursuant to the terms of
this Indenture.

     Section 3.10  Computation of Interest.  Except as otherwise specified as
contemplated by Section 3.1, interest on any Securities of a series that bear
interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months.

     Section 3.11  CUSIP Numbers.  The Company in issuing the Securities may use
"CUSIP" numbers (in addition to the other identification numbers printed on the
Securities), and, if so, the Trustee shall use "CUSIP" numbers in notices of
redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided, however, that any such notice
may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such "CUSIP"
numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a
redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification
numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected
by any defect in or omission of such "CUSIP" numbers.


                                   ARTICLE 4

                     Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance
                     --------------------------------------

     Section 4.1  Termination of Company's Obligations Under the Indenture.
Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, this Indenture
shall upon a Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to
Securities of or within any series (except as to any surviving rights of
registration of 

                                     -30-

<PAGE>
 
transfer or exchange of such Securities and replacement of such Securities which
may have been destroyed, lost, stolen or mutilated, as herein expressly provided
for) and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper
instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with
respect to such Securities when:

          (1)  either

               (A) all such Securities previously authenticated and delivered
          (other than (i) such Securities which have been destroyed, lost or
          stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section
          3.6, and (ii) such Securities for whose payment money has theretofore
          been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company
          and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as
          provided in Section 9.3) have been delivered to the Trustee for
          cancellation; or

               (B) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee
          cancelled or for cancellation

                    (i)  have become due and payable, or

                    (ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity
               within one year, or

                    (iii)  if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be
               called for redemption within one year under arrangements
               satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of
               redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the
               Company,

          and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has
          irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as
          trust funds in trust for the purpose, an amount sufficient to pay and
          discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore
          delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if
          any, and interest, with respect thereto, to the date of such deposit
          (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to
          the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

          (2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable
     hereunder by the Company with respect to such Securities; and

                                     -31-

<PAGE>
 
          (3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate
     and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent
     herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this
     Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to
any series of Securities, the obligation of the Company to the Trustee and any
predecessor Trustee under Section 6.9, the obligations of the Company to any
Authenticating Agent under Section 6.14 and, if money shall have been deposited
with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of this Section, the
obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.2 and the last paragraph of Section
9.3 shall survive.

     Section 4.2  Application of Trust Funds.  Subject to the provisions of the
last paragraph of Section 9.3, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to
Section 4.1 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the
provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly
or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying
Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the
principal, premium, if any, and any interest for whose payment such money has
been deposited with or received by the Trustee, but such money need not be
segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

     Section 4.3  Applicability of Defeasance Provisions.  Unless otherwise
specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, the provisions of Sections 4.4 and
4.5, together with the provisions of Sections 4.6 through 4.8 inclusive, shall
be applicable to the Securities of or within a series.

     Section 4.4  Defeasance and Discharge.  The Company, at its option, shall
be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to the
Securities of or within a series on and after the date the conditions set forth
in Section 4.6 are satisfied (hereinafter "defeasance").  For this purpose, such
defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged
the entire indebtedness represented by such Securities which shall thereafter be
deemed to be "Outstanding" only for the purposes this Article 4, and to have
satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture
insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the
Company, shall on a Company Order execute proper instruments acknowledging the
same), except the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or
discharged hereunder: (a) the rights of Holders of such Securities to receive,
solely from the trust funds described in Section 4.6(a) and as more 

                                     -32-

<PAGE>
 
fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of,
premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities when such payments are
due; (b) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee
hereunder; and (c) this Article 4. Subject to compliance with this Article 4,
the Company may exercise its option under this Section notwithstanding the prior
exercise of its option under Section 4.5 with respect to such Securities.

     Section 4.5  Covenant Defeasance.  The Company, at its option, shall be
released from its obligations under Sections 7.1, 9.4, 9.5, 9.8, 9.9, 9.10,
9.11, 9.12 and 9.13 and, if specified pursuant to Section 3.1, its obligations
under any other covenants, with respect to such Securities on and after the date
the conditions set forth in Section 4.6 are satisfied (hereinafter "covenant
defeasance"), and such Securities shall thereafter be deemed to be not
"Outstanding" for the purposes of any request, demand, authorization, direction,
notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders (and the consequences of any
thereof) in connection with Sections 7.1, 9.4, 9.5, 9.8, 9.9, 9.10, 9.11, 9.12
and 9.13 or such other covenants, but shall continue to be deemed "Outstanding"
for all other purposes hereunder.  For this purpose, such covenant defeasance
means that, with respect to such Securities, the Company may omit to comply with
and shall have no liability in respect of any term, provision, condition or
limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenants, whether
directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such
Section or such other covenants or by reason of any reference in any such
Section or such other covenants to any other provision herein or in any other
document or otherwise and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default
or an Event of Default under Section 5.1(3) or 5.1(7) or otherwise, as the case
may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such
Securities shall be unaffected thereby.

     Section 4.6  Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.  The
following shall be the conditions to application of Section 4.4 or Section 4.5
to any Securities of or within a series:

          (a) The Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited
     irrevocably with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the
     requirements of Section 6.12 who shall agree to comply with, and shall be
     entitled to the benefits of, the provisions of Sections 4.3 through 4.8
     inclusive and the last paragraph of Section 9.3 applicable to the Trustee,
     for purposes of such Sections also a "Trustee") as trust funds in trust for
     the purpose of making the payments referred to 

                                     -33-

<PAGE>
 
     in clauses (x) and (y) of this Section 4.6(a), specifically pledged as
     security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such
     Securities, with instructions to the Trustee as to the application thereof,
     (A) money in an amount, or (B) Government Obligations which through the
     payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with
     their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any
     payment referred to in clause (x) or (y) of this Section 4.6(a), money in
     an amount or (C) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the
     opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public
     accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the
     Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee to
     pay and discharge, (x) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if
     any, on such Securities on the Maturity of such principal or installment of
     principal or interest and (y) any mandatory sinking fund payments
     applicable to such Securities on the day on which such payments are due and
     payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Securities.
     Before such a deposit the Company may make arrangements satisfactory to the
     Trustee for the redemption of Securities at a future date or dates in
     accordance with Article 10 which shall be given effect in applying the
     foregoing.

          (b) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a
     breach or violation of, or constitute a Default or Event of Default under
     this Indenture or result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a
     default under, any other material agreement or instrument to which the
     Company is a party or by which it is bound.

          (c) No Default or Event of Default under Section 5.1(5) or 5.1(6) with
     respect to such Securities shall have occurred and be continuing during the
     period commencing on the date of such deposit and ending on the 91st day
     after such date (it being understood that this condition shall not be
     deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

          (d) In the case of an exercise by the Company of its option under
     Section 4.4, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
     Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company
     has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue
     Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture,
     there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either
     case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that,
     the 

                                     -34-

<PAGE>
 
     Holders of such Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for
     Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be
     subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and
     at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance
     and discharge had not occurred.

          (e) In the case of an exercise by the Company of its option under
     Section 4.5, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of
     Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Securities will not
     recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result
     of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on
     the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have
     been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

          (f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
     Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions
     precedent to the defeasance under Section 4.4 or the covenant defeasance
     under Section 4.5 (as the case may be) have been complied with and an
     Opinion of Counsel to the effect that either (i) as a result of a deposit
     pursuant to subsection (a) above and the related exercise of the Company's
     option under Section 4.4 or Section 4.5 (as the case may be), registration
     is not required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, by
     the Company, with respect to the trust funds representing such deposit or
     by the Trustee for such trust funds or (ii) all necessary registrations
     under said Act have been effected.

          (g) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in
     compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or
     limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith as
     contemplated by Section 3.1.

     Section 4.7  Deposited Money and Government Obligations to be Held in
Trust.  Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.3, all
money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant
to Section 3.1) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee
pursuant to Section 4.6 in respect of any Securities of or within any series
shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the
provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either
directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own
Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities of

                                     -35-

<PAGE>
 
all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any,
and interest, if any, but such money need not be segregated from other funds
except to the extent required by law.

     Section 4.8  Transfers and Distribution at Company Request.  To the extent
permitted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 76, as amended or interpreted by the Financial
Accounting Standards Board from time to time, or any successor thereto
("Standard No. 76"), or to the extent permitted by the Commission, the Trustee
shall, from time to time, take one or more of the following actions as specified
in a Company Request:

          (a) The Trustee shall retransfer, reassign and deliver to the Company
     any securities deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.6(a),
     provided that the Company shall, in substitution therefor, simultaneously
     transfer, assign and deliver to the Trustee other Government Obligations
     appropriate to satisfy the Company's obligations in respect of the relevant
     Securities.

          (b) The Trustee (and any Paying Agent) shall promptly pay to the
     Company upon a Company Request any excess money or securities held by them
     at any time, including, without limitation, any assets deposited with the
     Trustee pursuant to Section 4.6(a) exceeding those necessary for the
     purposes of Section 4.6(a).

The Trustee shall not take the actions described in subsections (a) and (b) of
this Section 4.8 unless it shall have first received a written report of KPMG
Peat Marwick LLP, or another nationally recognized independent public accounting
firm, (i) expressing their opinion that the contemplated action is permitted by
Standard No. 76 or the Commission, for transactions accounted for as
extinguishment of debt under the circumstances described in paragraph 3.c of
Standard No. 76 or any successor provision, and (ii) verifying the accuracy,
after giving effect to such action or actions, of the computations which
demonstrate that the amounts remaining to be earned on any Government
Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.6(a) will be, when
taken together with any money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section
4.6(a), sufficient for purposes of Section 4.6(a).

                                     -36-

<PAGE>
 
                                 ARTICLE 5

                             Defaults and Remedies
                             ---------------------

     Section 5.1  Events of Default.  An "Event of Default" occurs with
respect to the Securities of any series if (whatever the reason for such Event
of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by
operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or
any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

          (1) the Company defaults in the payment of interest on any Security of
     that series when the same becomes due and payable and such default
     continues for a period of 30 days;

          (2) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal of or
     premium, if any, on any Security of that series when the same becomes due
     and payable at its Maturity or on redemption or otherwise, or in the
     payment of a mandatory sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of
     the Securities of that series;

          (3) the Company defaults in the performance of, or breaches, any
     covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture with respect to any
     Security of that series (other than a covenant or warranty a default in
     whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically
     dealt with), and such default or breach continues for a period of 60 days
     after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company
     by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least
     25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, a
     written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be
     remedied and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder;

          (4) the Company defaults under the terms of any agreement or
     instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured
     or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed, whether such indebtedness
     now exists or shall hereafter be created, having an outstanding principal
     amount of $15,000,000 or more in the aggregate, and such indebtedness shall
     be accelerated so that the same shall be or become due and payable prior to
     the date on which the same would otherwise become due and payable and such
     acceleration is not rescinded or annulled within ten days after there has
     been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee
     or to the Company and the

                                     -37-

<PAGE>
 
     Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
     Outstanding Securities of that series, a written notice specifying such
     default and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder (it
     being understood however, that, subject to the provisions of Section 6.1,
     the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such default under
     such agreement or instrument unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee
     shall have received written notice thereof from the Company, from any
     Holder, from the holder of any such indebtedness or from the trustee under
     any such agreement or instrument); provided, however, that if such default
     under such agreement or instrument is remedied or cured by the Company or
     waived by the holders of such indebtedness, then the Event of Default
     hereunder by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been thereupon
     remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of either
     the Trustee or any of the Holders of the Securities of that series;

          (5) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy
     Law (A) commences a voluntary case, (B) consents to the entry of an order
     for relief against it in an involuntary case, (c) consents to the
     appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its
     property, or (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its
     creditors;

          (6) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under
     any Bankruptcy Law that (A) is for relief against the Company in an
     involuntary case, (B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or
     substantially all of its property, or (C) orders the liquidation of the
     Company; and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90
     days; or

          (7) any other Event of Default provided as contemplated by Section 3.1
     with respect to Securities of that series.

     The term "Bankruptcy Law" means title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal
or state law for the relief of debtors.  The term "Custodian" means any
receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy
Law.

     Section 5.2  Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment.  If an Event of
Default with respect to the Securities of any series at the time Outstanding
occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in
aggregate principal amount of all of the Outstanding Securities of that series,
by written notice to the Company (and, if given by the Holders, to the Trustee),
may

                                     -38-

<PAGE>
 
declare the principal amount (or, if the Securities of that series are Original
Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be
specified in the terms of that series) of all the Securities of that series to
be due and payable and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or, in
the case of Original Issue Discount Securities, such specified amount) shall be
immediately due and payable.

     At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to
Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for
payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this
Article provided, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Trustee, may
rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all existing Defaults
and Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the
non-payment of the principal amount (or, in the case of Original Discount
Securities, such specified amount) of Securities of that series which have
become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived
as provided in Section 5.7.  No such rescission shall affect any subsequent
Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

     Section 5.3  Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by
Trustee.  The Company covenants that if:

          (1) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security
     when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a
     period of 30 days, or

          (2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if
     any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof,

the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the
Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such
Securities for principal, premium, if any, and interest and, to the extent that
payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue
principal and premium, if any, and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates
prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further
amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection,
including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of
the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

     If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and
is continuing, the Trustee may in its

                                     -39-
<PAGE>
 
discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the
Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as
the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights,
whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this
Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce
any other proper remedy.

     Section 5.4  Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.  The Trustee may file such
proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable
in order to have the claims of the Trustee and the Holders of Securities allowed
in any judicial proceedings relating to the Company, its creditors or its
property.

     Section 5.5  Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be
prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the
Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto.

     Section 5.6  Delay or Omission not Waiver.  No delay or omission by the
Trustee or any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing
upon an Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a
waiver of or an acquiescence in any such Event of Default.

     Section 5.7  Waiver of Past Defaults.  The Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series by notice to
the Trustee may waive on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series
a past Default or Event of Default with respect to that series and its
consequences except (i) a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Security of such series or
(ii) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which pursuant to Section 8.2
cannot be amended or modified without the consent of the Holder of each
Outstanding Security of such series adversely affected.  Upon any such waiver,
such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom
shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture.

     Section 5.8  Control by Majority.  The Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series shall have the
right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any
remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on it
with respect to Securities of that series; provided, however, that (a) the
Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts

                                     -40-
<PAGE>
 
with law or this Indenture, (b) subject to the provisions of Article 6, the
Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that is unduly prejudicial to the
rights of the Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such direction
or that would in the good faith judgment of the Trustee have a substantial
likelihood of involving the Trustee in personal liability and (c) the Trustee
may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent
with such direction.

     Section 5.9  Limitation on Suits by Holders.  No Holder of any Security of
any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or
otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver
or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

          (1) the Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a
     continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series;

          (2) the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
     Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made a written request to
     the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in
     its own name as Trustee hereunder;

          (3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity
     satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense to be,
     or which may be, incurred by the Trustee in pursuing the remedy;

          (4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request
     and the offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceedings;
     and

          (5) during such 60-day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate
     principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series has not given
     to the Trustee a direction inconsistent with such written request.

     No one or more Holders of the Securities of any series shall have any right
in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this
Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such
Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other
of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the
manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such
Holders.

                                     -41-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 5.10  Rights of Holders to Receive Payment.  Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Security to
receive payment of principal of, premium, if any, and, subject to Sections 3.5
and 3.7, interest on such Security, on or after the respective due dates
expressed in such Security (or, in case of redemption, on the Redemption Date),
or, subject to Section 5.9, to bring suit for the enforcement of any such
payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected
without the consent of such Holder.

     Section 5.11  Application of Money Collected.  If the Trustee collects any
money pursuant to this Article, it shall pay out the money in the following
order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the
distribution of such money on account of principal, premiums, if any, or
interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the
payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

          First:  to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 6.9;
          
          Second:  to Holders of Securities of a series in respect of which or
     for the benefit of which such money has been collected for amounts due and
     unpaid on such Securities for principal of, premium, if any, and interest,
     ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the
     amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal, premium, if any,
     and interest, respectively; and

          Third:  to the Company.
     
     Section 5.12  Restoration of Rights and Remedies.  If the Trustee or any
Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this
Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason,
or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in
every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company,
the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to
their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the
Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been
instituted.

     Section 5.13  Rights and Remedies Cumulative.  Except as otherwise provided
with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or
stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 3.6, no right or remedy
herein conferred

                                     -42-
<PAGE>
 
upon or reserved to the Trustee or the Holders is intended to be exclusive of
any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent
permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy
given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise.
The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise,
shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other
appropriate right or remedy.


                                   ARTICLE 6

                                  The Trustee
                                  -----------

     Section 6.1  Certain Duties and Responsibilities.  (a) With respect to
Securities of any series, except during the continuance of an Event of Default
with respect to the Securities of such series,

               (1) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such
          duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied
          covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the
          Trustee; and

               (2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may
          conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
          correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or
          opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements
          of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or
          opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be
          furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine
          the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements
          of this Indenture.

          (b) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with
     respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall exercise such of
     the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture with respect to the
     Securities of such series, and use the same degree of care and skill in
     their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
     circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

          (c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the
     Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent
     failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

                                     -43-
<PAGE>
 
               (1) this subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of
          subsection (a) of this Section;

               (2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
          made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved
          that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
          and

               (3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action
          taken or omitted to be taken by it with respect to the Securities of
          any series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the
          Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding
          Securities of such series relating to the time, method and place of
          conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or
          exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this
          Indenture.

          (d) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend
     or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
     performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of
     its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing
     that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or
     liability is not reasonably assured to it.

          (e) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of
     this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or
     affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of
     this Section.

     Section 6.2  Rights of Trustee.  Subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act:

          (a) The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting
     or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
     instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order,
     bond, debenture, note or other paper or document believed by it to be
     genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or
     parties.

          (b) Any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be
     sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (other than
     delivery of any Security to the Trustee for authentication and delivery
     pursuant to Section 3.3, which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided
     therein) and any resolution of the Board of

                                     -44-
<PAGE>
 
     Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution.

          (c) Whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall
     deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking,
     suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other
     evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad
     faith on its part, rely upon an Officers' Certificate.

          (d) The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the
     written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and
     complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken,
     suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

          (e) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the
     rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction
     of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall
     have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the
     costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance
     with such request or direction.

          (f) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the
     facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement,
     instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order,
     bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
     document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry
     or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the
     Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it
     shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the
     Company, personally or by agent or attorney, at the Company's expense.

          (g) The Trustee may act through agents or attorneys and shall not be
     responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney
     appointed with due care by it hereunder.

          (h) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Default or
     Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series for which it
     is acting as Trustee unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee
     shall have actual knowledge of the Default or Event of Default, or (ii)
     written notice of such Default or Event of Default shall have been given to
     the Trustee by the Company or by

                                     -45-
<PAGE>
 
     any Holder of Securities of that series or any other series, or, in the
     event of a default pursuant to Section 5.1(4), by the holder of any other
     indebtedness of the Company or by the trustee of any other agreement or
     instrument to which the Company is a party.

          (i) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits
     to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its
     rights or powers conferred on it by this Indenture.

          (j) The Trustee shall not be required to expend or risk its own funds
     or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its
     duties hereunder, or in the exercise of its rights or powers, if it shall
     have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
     adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured
     to it.

     Section 6.3  Trustee May Hold Securities.  The Trustee, any Paying Agent,
any Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other
capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections
310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company,
an Affiliate or Subsidiary with the same rights it would have if it were not
Trustee, Paying Agent, Registrar or such other agent.

     Section 6.4  Money Held in Trust.  Money held by the Trustee in trust
hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required
by law.  The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money
received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.

     Section 6.5  Trustee's Disclaimer.  The recitals contained herein and in
the Securities, except the Trustee's certificates of authentication, shall be
taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no
responsibility for their correctness.  The Trustee makes no representation as to
the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities.  The Trustee shall
not be accountable for the Company's use of the proceeds from the Securities or
for monies paid over to the Company pursuant to the Indenture.

     Section 6.6  Notice of Defaults.  If a Default occurs and is continuing
with respect to the Securities of any series and if it is known to the Trustee,
as contemplated by Section 6.2(h), the Trustee shall, within 90 days after it
occurs, transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of
the Trust Indenture Act, notice of all uncured or unwaived Defaults known

                                     -46-
<PAGE>
 
to it; provided, however, that, except in the case of a Default in payment on
the Securities of any series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long
as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of its
directors and/or its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that
withholding such notice is in the interests of Holders of Securities of that
series; provided further, however, that, in the case of any default or breach of
the character specified in Section 5.1(3) with respect to the Securities of such
series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after
the occurrence thereof.

     Section 6.7  Reports by Trustee to Holders.  Within 60 days after each
January 31 of each year commencing with the first January 31 after the first
issuance of Securities pursuant to this Indenture, the Trustee shall transmit by
mail to all Holders of Securities as provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust
Indenture Act a brief report dated as of such January 31, if required by Section
313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.  The Trustee also shall comply with Sections
313(b) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.  A copy of each such report shall,
at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with the
Company.  The Company will notify the Trustee when any series of Securities are
listed on any stock exchange.

     Section 6.8  Securityholder Lists.  The Trustee shall preserve in as
current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it
of the names and addresses of Holders of Securities of each series.  If the
Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee
semiannually on or before the last day of June and December in each year, and at
such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list, in such form and
as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, containing all the
information in the possession of the Registrar, the Company or any of its Paying
Agents other than the Trustee as to the names and addresses of Holders of
Securities of each series.

     Section 6.9  Compensation and Indemnity.  (a) The Company shall pay to the
Trustee from time to time such compensation as shall be agreed between the
Company and the Trustee for all services rendered by it hereunder.  The
Trustee's compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a
trustee of an express trust.  The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon
request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it in connection
with the performance of its duties under this Indenture, except any such expense
as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith.  Such expenses shall
include the

                                     -47-
<PAGE>
 
reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee's agents and counsel.

     (b) The Company shall indemnify the Trustee for and hold it harmless
against, any loss or liability incurred by it without negligence or bad faith on
its part arising out of or in connection with its acceptance or administration
of the trust or trusts hereunder.  The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly
of any claim for which it may seek indemnity.  The Company shall defend the
claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense.  The Trustee may have
separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of
such counsel.  The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

     (c) The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any
loss or liability incurred by the Trustee through negligence or bad faith.

     (d) To secure the payment obligations of the Company pursuant to this
Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series on
all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in
trust to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on particular Securities.

     (e) When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with
an Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(5) or Section 5.1(6), the expenses
(including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the
compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of
administration under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or
other similar law.

     (f) The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this
Indenture.

     Section 6.10  Replacement of Trustee.  (a) The resignation or removal of
the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective
only upon the successor Trustee's acceptance of appointment as provided in
Section 6.11.

     (b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of
any series by giving written notice thereof to the Company.  If the instrument
of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.11 shall not have
been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of
resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of

                                     -48-
<PAGE>
 
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect
to the Securities of such series.

     (c) The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series may remove the Trustee with respect to that
series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company and may appoint a successor
Trustee for such series with the Company's consent.

     (d)  If at any time:

          (1) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 310(b) of the Trust
     Indenture Act with respect to the Securities of a series after written
     request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security of such
     series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at
     least six months, or

          (2) the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall
     cease to be eligible under Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act and
     shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by
     any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of
     a Security of such series for at least six months; or

          (3) the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series becomes
     incapable of acting, is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or a receiver
     or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property or affairs
     for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company by or pursuant to a Board Resolution may
remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to Section
315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of
a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and
all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the
appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

     (e) If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the
office of Trustee for any reason, with respect to Securities of one or more
series, the Company, by or pursuant to Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint
a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it
being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect
to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time
there shall be only one Trustee with respect

                                     -49-
<PAGE>
 
to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable
requirements of Section 6.11.  If, within one year after such resignation,
removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee
with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such
series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee
so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in
accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11, become the
successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that
extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.  If no
successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been
so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the
manner required by Section 6.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a
Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and
all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such
series.

     Section 6.11  Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.  (a) In case of the
appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities,
every such successor Trustee shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the
Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment.
Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become
effective, and the successor Trustee, without further act, deed or conveyance,
shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the
retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee,
such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an
instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and
trusts of the retiring Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to
such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee
hereunder.

     (b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with
respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the
retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an
indenture supplemental hereto wherein such successor Trustee shall accept such
appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or
desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all
the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to
the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such
successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with
respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as

                                     -50-

<PAGE>
 
shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers,
trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that
or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue
to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of
the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or
facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee,
it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall
constitute such Trustees as co-trustees of the same trust and that each such
Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from
any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon
the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or
removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided
therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or
conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties
of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series
to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of
the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign,
transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by
such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those
series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

     (c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute
any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming
to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in
paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

     (d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of
such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under the
Trust Indenture Act and this Article.

     (e) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of
the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of
a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series in the manner
provided for notices to the Holders of Securities in Section 1.6.  Each notice
shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities
of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

     Section 6.12  Eligibility; Disqualification.  There shall at all times be a
Trustee hereunder which shall be eligible to act as Trustee under Section 310(a)
of the Trust Indenture Act.  If a

                                     -51-

<PAGE>
 
corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or
the requirements of Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia
supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of Section 310(a)(2)
of the Trust Indenture Act, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation
shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most
recent report of condition so published.  If at any time the Trustee shall cease
to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall
resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Article.

     Section 6.13  Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.
Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which
it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion
or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the
Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such
corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article,
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto.  In case any Securities shall have been
authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor
by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt
such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same
effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

     Section 6.14  Appointment of Authenticating Agent.  The Trustee may appoint
an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of
Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to
authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue, exchange,
registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof, and Securities so
authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be
valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee
hereunder.  Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument in writing
signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, a copy of which instrument shall
be promptly furnished to the Company.  Wherever reference is made in this
Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the
Trustee's certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to
include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an
Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of
the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.  Each Authenticating Agent shall be
acceptable to the Company and, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to
Section 3.1,

                                     -52-

<PAGE>
 
shall at all times be a bank or trust company or corporation organized and doing
business and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America or
of any State or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as
Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less that
$1,500,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State
authorities.  If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at
least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of the aforesaid supervising
or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section, the combined
capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its
combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition
so published.  In case at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be
eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating
Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in
this Section.

     Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of
the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent,
shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be
otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any
paper or further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

     An Authenticating Agent for any series of Securities may at any time resign
by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee for such series and to
the Company.  The Trustee for any series of Securities may at any time terminate
the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to
such Authenticating Agent and to the Company.  Upon receiving such a notice of
resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such
Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, the Trustee for such series may appoint a successor
Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give
notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with
respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve in the manner set forth in
Section 1.6.  Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its
appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties
of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an
Authenticating Agent herein.  No successor Authenticating

                                     -53-

<PAGE>
 
Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

     The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time
reasonable compensation as may be agreed to in writing with the Company,
including reimbursement of its reasonable expenses for its services under this
Section.

     If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to
this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in
addition to or in lieu of the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an
alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form:

     This is one of the Securities of a series issued under the within-mentioned
Indenture.

                                       THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK (NATIONAL 
                                       ASSOCIATION), as Trustee


                                       By
                                         -----------------------------------
                                               as Authenticating Agent


                                       By
                                         -----------------------------------
                                                Authorized Signatory

     Section 6.15  Trustee's Application for Instructions from the Company.  Any
application by the Trustee for written instructions from the Company may, at the
option of the Trustee, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or
omitted by the Trustee under this Indenture and the date on and/or after which
such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective.  The Trustee
shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Trustee in
accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date
specified in such application (which date shall not be less than 15 Business
Days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such
application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to any
earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in
the case of an omission), the Trustee shall have received written instructions
in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

     Section 6.16   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.  (a)
The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to
Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

                                     -54-

<PAGE>
 
     (b)  Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees
with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee shall
be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to
the names and addresses of the Holders in accordance with Section 312 of the
Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was
derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing
any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.


                                   ARTICLE 7

                  Consolidation, Merger or Sale by the Company
                  --------------------------------------------

     Section 7.1  Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets Permitted.  The
Company may merge or consolidate with or into any other corporation or sell,
convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets
to any Person, if (i) (A) in the case of a merger or consolidation, the Company
is the surviving corporation or (B) in the case of a merger or consolidation
where the Company is not the surviving corporation and in the case of any such
sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, the successor or acquiring
corporation is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United
States or a State thereof and such corporation expressly assumes by supplemental
indenture all the obligations of the Company under the Securities and under this
Indenture, (ii) immediately thereafter, giving effect to such merger or
consolidation, or such sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (iii) the
Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of
Counsel each stating that such merger or consolidation, or such sale,
conveyance, transfer or other disposition complies with this Article and that
all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have
been complied with.  In the event of the assumption by a successor corporation
of the obligations of the Company as provided in clause (i)(B) of the
immediately preceding sentence, such successor corporation shall succeed to and
be substituted for the Company hereunder and under the Securities and all such
obligations of the Company shall terminate.

                                   ARTICLE 8

                            Supplemental Indentures
                            -----------------------

     Section 8.1  Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.  Without
the consent of any Holders, the Company, when

                                     -55-

<PAGE>
 
authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to
time, may enter into indentures supplemental hereto, in form reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

          (1) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company
     and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company
     herein and in the Securities; or

          (2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the
     Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be
     for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such
     covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such
     series), or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the
     Company; or

          (3) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any
     series of Securities; or

          (4) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to
     such extent as shall be necessary to facilitate the issuance of Securities
     in global form; or

          (5) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this
     Indenture; provided, however, that any such addition, change or elimination
     shall become effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any
     series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which
     is entitled to the benefit of such provision; or

          (6)  to secure the Securities; or

          (7) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as
     permitted by Sections 2.1 and 3.1; or

          (8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
     hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or
     more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture
     as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of
     the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements
     of Section 6.11;

          (9) to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be
     inconsistent with any other provision herein or to make any other
     provisions with respect to matters or

                                     -56-

<PAGE>
 
     questions arising under this Indenture, provided, however, such action
     shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of
     any series in any material respect; or to cure any ambiguity or correct any
     mistake; or

          (10) to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of this Indenture
     to such extent as shall be necessary to effect the qualification of this
     Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act or under any similar Federal
     statute subsequently enacted, and to add to this Indenture such other
     provisions as may be expressly required under the Trust Indenture Act.

     Section 8.2  With Consent of Holders.  With the written consent of the
Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of each series adversely affected by such supplemental indenture, the
Company and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental
hereto to add any provisions to or to change or eliminate any provisions of this
Indenture or of any other indenture supplemental hereto or to modify the rights
of the Holders of Securities of each such series; provided, however, that
without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series
adversely affected thereby, an amendment under this Section may not:

          (1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment
     of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal
     amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon
     the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an
     Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a
     declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section
     5.2, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such
     payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of
     redemption, on or after the Redemption Date);

          (2) reduce the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the
     Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is
     required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose
     Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions
     of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences)
     provided for in this Indenture;

          (3) change any obligation of the Company to maintain an office or
     agency in the places and for the purposes specified in Section 9.2; or

                                     -57-
<PAGE>
 
          (4) make any change in Section 5.7 or this Section 8.2 except to
     increase any percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this
     Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holders
     of each Outstanding Security of such series adversely affected thereby.

     A supplemental indenture that changes or eliminates any covenant or other
provision of this Indenture, which has expressly been included solely for the
benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or that modifies the
rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant
or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this
Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

     It is not necessary under this Section 8.2 for the Holders to consent to
the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it is sufficient
if they consent to the substance thereof.

     Section 8.3  Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.  Every supplemental
indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall comply with the requirements
of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

     Section 8.4  Execution of Supplemental Indentures.  In executing, or
accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted
by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by this
Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 315
of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion
of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is
authorized or permitted by this Indenture.  The Trustee may, but shall not be
obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

     Section 8.5  Effect of Supplemental Indentures.  Upon the execution of any
supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in
accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this
Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or
thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

     Section 8.6  Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures.
Securities of any series authenticated and delivered

                                     -58-
<PAGE>
 
after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may,
and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the
Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture.  If the
Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to
conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental
indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and
delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

     Section 8.7    Notice to Holders.  Promptly after the execution by the
Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture under Section 8.2 with
respect to the Securities of any series, the Company shall transmit to all
Holders of such Securities a notice, in accordance with Section 1.6, setting
forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture.


                                   ARTICLE 9

                                   Covenants
                                   ---------

     Section 9.1  Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest.  The
Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each series of
Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, premium, if
any, and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms
of the Securities of such series and this Indenture.  An installment of
principal or interest shall be considered paid on the date it is due if the
Trustee or Paying Agent holds on that date money designated for and sufficient
to pay the installment.

     Section 9.2  Maintenance of Office or Agency.  The Company will maintain in
each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where
Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where
Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or
exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the
Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served.  The Company will
give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location and any change in the
location of any such office or agency.  If at any time the Company shall fail to
maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee
with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands
may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the
Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such
presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

                                     -59-
<PAGE>
 
     The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices
or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or
surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such
designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in
any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency
in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes.  The
Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation
or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or
agency.

     Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, the Company
hereby initially designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Debt
Securities, the City and State of New York.

     Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, the Trustee
shall initially serve as Paying Agent.

     Section 9.3  Money for Securities to Be Held in Trust; Unclaimed Money.  If
the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any
series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of,
premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate
and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum
sufficient to pay the principal, premium, if any, or interest so becoming due
until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein
provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or
failure so to act.

     Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents with respect to
any series of Securities, it will, prior to or on each due date of the
principal, and premium, if any, or interest on any Securities of such series,
deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay the principal, and premium,
if any, or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the
benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and
(unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company promptly will notify the
Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

     The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other
than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which
such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of
this Section, that such Paying Agent will:

                                     -60-
<PAGE>
 
          (1) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of,
     premium, if any, or interest on Securities of that series in trust for the
     benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to
     such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;

          (2) give the Trustee notice of any Default by the Company (or any
     other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any
     payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities; and

          (3) at any time during the continuance of any such Default, upon the
     written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so
     held in trust by such Paying Agent.

     The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction
and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by a Company
Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by
the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the
same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such
Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such
Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such
money.

     Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by
the Company, in trust for the payment of any principal, premium or interest on
any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such
principal, premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid
to the Company on a Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be
discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as
an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and
all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust
money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon
cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being
required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to
be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily
published on each Business Day and of general circulation in The City of New
York, or cause to be mailed to such Holder, notice that such money remains
unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than
30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money
then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

                                     -61-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 9.4  Corporate Existence.  Subject to Article 7, the Company will
at all times do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in
full force and effect its corporate existence and its rights and franchises;
provided, however, that nothing in this Section 9.4 shall prevent the
abandonment or termination of any right or franchise of the Company if, in the
determination of the Company, such abandonment or termination is in the best
interests of the Company and does not materially adversely affect the ability of
the Company to operate its business or to fulfill its obligations hereunder.

     Section 9.5  Insurance.  The Company covenants and agrees that it will
maintain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with
responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations or through a
program of self-insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as, in the
determination of the Company, are consistent with sound business practice for
corporations engaged in the same or a similar business similarly situated.

     Section 9.6  Reports by the Company.  The Company covenants:

          (a) to file with the Trustee, within 30 days after the Company is
     required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports
     and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such
     portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by
     rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file
     with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"); or, if
     the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports
     pursuant to either of such sections, then to file with the Trustee and the
     Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time
     to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic
     information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to
     Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a security listed and
     registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time
     to time in such rules and regulations;

          (b) to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with
     the rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission,
     such additional information, documents and reports with respect to
     compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants provided for in
     this Indenture, as may be required from time to time by such rules and
     regulations; and

                                     -62-
<PAGE>
 
          (c) to transmit to all Holders of Securities, within 30 days after the
     filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided
     in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any
     information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company
     pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 9.6, as may be required
     by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

     Section 9.7  Annual Review Certificate; Notice of Default.  The Company
covenants and agrees to deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of
each fiscal year of the Company, a brief certificate from the principal
executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer
as to his or her knowledge of the Company's compliance with all conditions and
covenants under this Indenture.  For purposes of this Section 9.7, such
compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or
requirement of notice provided under this Indenture.  The Company shall file
with the Trustee written notice of the occurrence of any Event of Default within
45 Business Days of its becoming aware of any such Event of Default.

     Section 9.8  Provision of Financial Statements.  If the Company is not
required to file with the Commission periodic reports and other information
pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company shall
furnish without cost to each Holder and file with the Trustee (i) within 135
days after the end of each fiscal year, annual reports containing the
information required to be contained in Items 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of Form 
10-K promulgated under the Exchange Act, or substantially the same information
required to be contained in comparable items of any successor form, (ii) within
60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal
year, quarterly reports containing the information required to be contained in
Form 10-Q promulgated under the Exchange Act, or substantially the same
information required to be contained in any successor form, and (iii) promptly
from the time after the occurrence of an event required to be therein reported,
such other reports containing information required to be contained in Form 8-K
promulgated under the Exchange Act, or substantially the same information
required to be contained in any successor form.

     Section 9.9  Limitation on Liens.  (a) The Company will not issue, assume
or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money (referred to in this Section
9.9 as "indebtedness", which term shall not include any guarantee, cash deposit
or other recourse obligation in connection with the sale, securitization or
discount by the Company of finance or accounts receivable, trade

                                     -63-
<PAGE>
 
acceptances or other paper arising in the ordinary course of its business)
secured by a mortgage, security interest, pledge or lien (referred to in this
Section 9.9 as a "mortgage" or "mortgages") of or upon any property of the
Company whether such property is owned at the date of this Indenture or
thereafter acquired, without making effective provision whereby the Securities
(together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other indebtedness
issued, assumed or guaranteed by the Company and then existing or thereafter
created) shall be secured by such mortgage equally and ratably with (or, at the
option of the Company, prior to) such indebtedness, so long as such indebtedness
shall be so secured; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to
any of the following:

          (1) mortgages of or upon any property (including, without limitation,
     inventory) acquired, constructed or improved by, or of or upon any shares
     of capital stock or indebtedness acquired by, the Company after the date of
     this Indenture (A) to secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase
     price of such property, shares of capital stock or indebtedness upon the
     acquisition thereof by the Company, or (B) to secure any indebtedness
     issued, assumed or guaranteed by the Company prior to, at the time of, or
     within 360 days after (i) in the case of property, the latest of the
     acquisition, completion of construction (including any improvements on
     existing property) and commencement of commercial operation of such
     property, or (ii) in the case of shares of capital stock or indebtedness,
     the acquisition of such shares of capital stock or indebtedness, which
     indebtedness is issued, assumed or guaranteed for the purpose of financing
     or refinancing all or any part of the purchase price of such property,
     shares of capital stock or indebtedness and, in the case of property, the
     cost of construction thereof or improvements thereon, provided, however,
     that in the case of any such acquisition, construction or improvement of
     property, the mortgage shall not apply to any property, shares of capital
     stock or indebtedness theretofore owned by the Company other than, in the
     case of any such acquisition, construction or improvement, (x) any real
     property on which the property so acquired or constructed or the
     improvement is located, or (y) any real property to which the property so
     acquired or constructed or the improvement attaches or is affixed;

          (2)  mortgages of or upon any property, shares of capital stock or
     indebtedness, which mortgages exist at the time of acquisition of such
     property, shares or indebtedness by the Company;

                                     -64-
<PAGE>
 
          (3)  mortgages of or upon any property of a corporation, which
     mortgages exist at the time such corporation is merged with or into or
     consolidated with the Company or which mortgages exist at the time of a
     sale or transfer of the properties of a corporation as an entirety or
     substantially as an entirety to the Company;

          (4)  mortgages to secure indebtedness of the Company to any
     Subsidiary; provided, however, that the money borrowed by the Company from
     such Subsidiary that constitutes such indebtedness arose from the internal
     operations of such Subsidiary;

          (5)  mortgages in favor of the United States of America or any State
     thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political
     subdivision of the United States of America or any State thereof, or in
     favor of any other country or political subdivision to secure partial,
     progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or
     to secure any indebtedness incurred, assumed or guaranteed for the purpose
     of financing or refinancing all or any part of the purchase price of the
     property, shares of capital stock or indebtedness subject to such
     mortgages, or the cost of constructing or improving the property subject to
     such mortgages (including, without limitation, mortgages incurred in
     connection with pollution control, industrial revenue or similar
     financings);

          (6)  mortgages on properties financed through tax-exempt municipal
     obligations, provided that such mortgages are limited to the property so
     financed;

          (7)  mortgages existing on the date of execution of this Indenture;

          (8)  mortgages of or upon any grain inventory to secure any 
     indebtedness incurred, assumed or guaranteed by the Company;

          (9)  mortgages of or upon any equity or other interest in the Trinidad
     Venture to facilitate the availability of political risk insurance and/or
     to secure any indebtedness in connection with or relating to the Trinidad
     Venture; and

          (10)  any extension, renewal, substitution, refinancing, refunding or
     replacement (or successive extensions, renewals, substitutions,
     refinancings, refundings or replacements) (each a "refinancing") in whole
     or in part of any mortgage existing at the date of the Indenture or any

                                     -65-

<PAGE>
 
     mortgage referred to in the foregoing clauses (1) through (9), inclusive,
     provided, however, that the principal amount of indebtedness secured
     thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of indebtedness so secured at
     the time of the refinancing plus the aggregate amount of premiums, other
     payments, costs and expenses required to be paid or incurred in connection
     with the refinancing, and that the refinancing shall be limited to all or a
     part of the property (plus improvements and construction on such property),
     shares of capital stock or indebtedness which was subject to the mortgage
     so extended, renewed, substituted, refinanced, refunded or replaced.

     (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section, the
Company may, without equally and ratably securing the Securities, issue, assume
or guarantee indebtedness secured by a mortgage not excepted by clauses (1)
through (10), inclusive, of such subsection (a), if the aggregate amount of such
indebtedness, together with all other indebtedness of, or indebtedness
guaranteed by, the Company existing at such time and secured by mortgages not so
excepted, does not at the time exceed 10% of the Company's Consolidated Net
Worth.  "Consolidated Net Worth" shall be the difference between the Company's
consolidated total assets and consolidated total liabilities as shown on the
Company's most recent audited consolidated financial statements prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

     Section 9.10  Ownership of Material Subsidiary Stock.  The Company
covenants that it will not take any action which would result in a decrease in
the percentage of the outstanding shares of stock of any Material Subsidiary
directly or indirectly owned by the Company, except as the result of (1) the
issuance of directors' qualifying shares, (2) the declaration and payment of
patronage refunds, (3) the issuance of capital stock to members, (4) the
purchase or retirement of shares with the proceeds of newly issued shares, or
(5) the sale of capital stock at a price determined by the Company (which
determination may be evidenced by a resolution of the Company's Board of
Directors) to be the fair value thereof.

     Section 9.11  Transactions with Affiliates.  The Company covenants that it
will not enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, the
purchase, sale or exchange of property or the rendering of any service, with any
Affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary except in the ordinary course of
business and upon fair and reasonable terms taking into account the nature of
the Company's or the Subsidiary's business.

                                     -66-

<PAGE>
 
     Section 9.12  Prepayment of Subordinated Debt.  The Company covenants that
it will not pay, prepay or purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any or all of
the indebtedness of the Company which is by its terms made subordinate or junior
in right of payment to the Securities or other indebtedness of the Company (the
"Subordinated Debt"), except: (1) a regularly scheduled payment thereof; (2) any
mandatory prepayment required under the terms of the subordination agreement
related to such Subordinated Debt;  and (3) any other payment or prepayment or
any purchase, redemption or other acquisition of such Subordinated Debt if,
after giving effect to such other payment or prepayment or such purchase,
redemption or other acquisition (a) the principal amount of all outstanding
Subordinated Debt is equal to or greater than Two Hundred Million Dollars
($200,000,000), and (b) there are no Defaults or Events of Default under this
Indenture.

     Section 9.13 Restriction on Certain Payments. The Company covenants that it
will not pay any patronage refunds or pay any dividends on its stock or purchase
or redeem any of its stock or capital credits at any time (except refunds,
dividends, purchases or redemptions payable in common stock of the Company or
capital credits or other equity credits) (any of the foregoing being referred to
herein as a "Distribution"), if, after giving effect to such Distribution (a)
its Consolidated Net Worth would be less than $475,000,000, or (b) the aggregate
amount of all Distributions in respect of a given fiscal year (the "Applicable
Year") (whether such Distribution actually is paid or made in the Applicable
Year or subsequent thereto) would exceed the greater of (i) the Company's net
income for the Applicable Year or (ii) the Company's patronage earnings (i.e.,
member-sourced income) for the Applicable Year; provided, however, that the
foregoing limitation in clause (b) above shall not apply if, after giving effect
to such Distribution, the Company's Consolidated Net Worth would be $600,000,000
or more; provided, further, however, that notwithstanding any of the foregoing
limitations: (A) the Company may pay or make Distributions in respect of any
Applicable Year in an aggregate amount not exceeding the greater of (1) 50% of
the Company's net income for the Applicable Year or (2) 50% of the Company's
patronage earnings for the Applicable Year (provided that, in any event, the
Company may pay cash patronage refunds in respect of any Applicable Year to the
extent necessary for the patronage distribution to satisfy the requirement,
presently set forth in the last sentence of Section 1388(c)(1) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision), that a specific
portion of a patronage dividend (presently 20%) be paid in money or by a
qualified check); (B) the Company may pay or make Distributions in connection
with estate settlements; and (C) the Company may pay or make

                                     -67-

<PAGE>
 
Distributions that arise by operation of law (including, without limitation,
pursuant to a court order, judgment or decree).

     Section 9.14  Waiver of Certain Covenants.  The Company may fail or omit in
any particular instance to comply with the covenants set forth in this Article
IX (other than Sections 9.1, 9.2 and 9.4) with respect to any series of
Securities if the Company shall have obtained and filed with the Trustee prior
to the time for such compliance the consent in writing of the Holders of at
least a majority in aggregate principal amount of all of the Securities of such
series at the time Outstanding either waiving such compliance in such instance
or generally waiving compliance with such covenant or covenants, but no such
waiver shall extend to or affect any obligation not expressly waived or impair
any right consequent thereon.


                                   ARTICLE 10

                                   Redemption
                                   ----------

     Section 10.1  Applicability of Article.  Securities of any series which are
redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with
their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1
for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

     Section 10.2  Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.  The election of the
Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board
Resolution or an Officers' Certificate.  In the case of any redemption at the
election of the Company of less than all the Securities of any series, the
Company shall, at least 45 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the
Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify
the Trustee of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of
such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to
be redeemed.  In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the
expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such
Securities, or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a
condition specified in the terms at such Securities, the Company shall furnish
the Trustee with an Officers' Certificate evidencing compliance with such
restriction or condition.

     Section 10.3  Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed.  Unless otherwise
specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, if less than all the Securities of a
series with the same original issue date, interest rate and Stated Maturity are
to be redeemed, 

                                     -68-

<PAGE>
 
the Trustee, not more than 45 days prior to the Redemption Date,
shall select the Securities of the series to be redeemed in such manner as the
Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.  The Trustee shall make the selection
from the Securities of the series that are Outstanding and that have not
previously been called for redemption and may provide for the selection for
redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for
Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal
amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum
authorized denomination for Securities of that series.

     The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Registrar in writing
of the Securities selected by the Trustee for redemption and, in the case of any
Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be
redeemed.

     For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires,
all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the
case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion
of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

     Section 10.4  Notice of Redemption.  Unless otherwise specified as
contemplated by Section 3.1, notice of redemption shall be given in the manner
provided in Section 1.6 not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the
Redemption Date to the Holders of the Securities of any series to be redeemed.

     All notices of redemption shall state:

          (1)  the Redemption Date;

          (2)  the Redemption Price;

          (3) if fewer than all the Outstanding Securities of a series are to be
     redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the
     principal amounts) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed;

          (4) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice
     which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption
     Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder will receive, without a
     charge, a new Security or Securities of such series of authorized
     denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed;

                                     -69-

<PAGE>
 
          (5) the Place or Places of Payment where such Securities maturing
     after the Redemption Date are to be surrendered for payment for the
     Redemption Price;

          (6) that Securities of the series called for redemption must be
     surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the Redemption Price;

          (7) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price will become due
     and payable upon each such Security, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed
     and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after
     said date;

          (8) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case;
     and

          (9) if applicable, the CUSIP number for the Securities of the series
     called for redemption.

     Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed shall be given by the
Company or, at the Company's request, by the Trustee in the name and at the
expense of the Company.

     Section 10.5  Deposit of Redemption Price.  On or prior to any Redemption
Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if
the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as
provided in Section 9.3) an amount of money sufficient to pay on the Redemption
Date the Redemption Price of, and (unless the Redemption Date shall be an
Interest Payment Date) interest accrued to the Redemption Date on, all
Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

     Section 10.6  Securities Payable on Redemption Date.  Notice of redemption
having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the
Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein
specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the
payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall
cease to bear interest.  Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in
accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the
Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date;
provided, however, that installments of interest on Securities whose Stated
Maturity is prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such
Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the
close of business on the 
 
                                     -70-
<PAGE>
  
relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section
3.7.

     If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender
thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid,
bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the
Security.

     Section 10.7 Securities Redeemed in Part. Upon surrender of a Security that
is redeemed in part at any Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or
the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer
in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), the Company shall execute,
and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of that Security,
without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series, the
same form and the same Maturity in any authorized denomination equal in
aggregate principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the principal of the
Security surrendered.


                                  ARTICLE 11

                                 Sinking Funds
                                 -------------

     Section 11.1  Applicability of Article.  The provisions of this Article
shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a
series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for
Securities of such series.

     The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of
Securities of any series is herein referred to as a "mandatory sinking fund
payment", and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the
terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as an "optional sinking
fund payment".  Except as otherwise specified by the terms of Securities of any
series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction
as provided in Section 11.2.  Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the
redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of
Securities of such series.

     Section 11.2  Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.  The
Company (a) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any such
Securities previously called for redemption), and (b) may apply as a credit
Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the
Company 

                                     -71-
<PAGE>
 
pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted
optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each
case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect
to the Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of
such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such
Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be
received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price
specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking
fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

     Section 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 60
days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities
(unless a shorter period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), the Company
shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate specifying the amount of
the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of
that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of
cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and
crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 11.2 and shall also
deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore
delivered to the Trustee. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund
payment date (unless a shorter period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), the
Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund
payment date in the manner specified in Section 10.3 and cause notice of the
redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company
in the manner provided in Section 10.4. Such notice having been duly given, the
redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner
stated in Sections 10.5, 10.6 and 10.7.

                             ----------------------

     This Indenture may be executed with counterpart signature pages or in any
number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such
counterparts shall together constitute but one instrument.

                                     -72-
<PAGE>
 
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.

                              FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.


                              By:
                                  ------------------------------------------
                                  Name:
                                  Title:


                              THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK (NATIONAL
                              ASSOCIATION), as Trustee


                              By:
                                  ------------------------------------------
                                  Name:
                                  Title:

                                     -73-

<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.2

                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.

                           ____% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2003


NO. R-1
CUSIP NO. ______________                                       U.S. $100,000,000

     UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC" OR THE "DEPOSITORY"), TO
THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND
ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER
NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS
MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF,
CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

     FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC., a Kansas corporation (hereinafter called the
"Company", which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture
referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or
registered assigns, the sum of One Hundred Million Dollars (U.S.$100,000,000) on
______________, 2003, and to pay interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day
year of twelve 30-day months) thereon from ____________, 1996, or from and
including the most recent Interest Payment Date (as hereinafter defined) to
which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on
______________ and ______________ in each year, commencing ______________, 1996,
through maturity (each an "Interest Payment Date"), until the principal hereof
is paid or has been duly provided for, at the rate of ___% per annum.  The
interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest
Payment Date will, as provided in said Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose
name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities, as defined in said
Indenture) is registered at the close of business on the __________ or
__________, as the case may be, next preceding each Interest Payment Date.  Any
such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease
to be payable to the registered Holder on each Interest Payment Date and may be
paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor
Securities) is registered at the close of business on a record date not more
than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date fixed by the Trustee
for payment of such defaulted interest and not less than 10 days after the
receipt by the Trustee from the Company of notice of the proposed payment,
notice of which record date shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than 10
days prior to such record date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful
manner not
<PAGE>

inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes
may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as
more fully provided in said Indenture.  Payment of the principal of and interest
on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for
that purpose in The City of New York, in such coin or currency of the United
States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of
public and private debts, provided, however, that at the option of the Company
payment of interest may be made (subject to collection) by check mailed to the
address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the
Securities Register.

     Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth
on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the
same effect as if set forth at this place.

     Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on
behalf of the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature,
this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture, or be valid
or obligatory for any purpose.

                                     * * *


                                      -2-
<PAGE>

  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed
under its corporate seal.

     THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY
OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY TO THE DEPOSITORY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE
DEPOSITORY OR BY THE DEPOSITORY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR OF THE
DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR.

DATED:  ___________________, 1996

                                       FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                       By:____________________________
                                            Name:
                                            Title:

[Seal]

ATTEST:

________________________


                    TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

     This is one of the Notes of the series designated and referred to in the
within-mentioned Indenture.
 
                                    CHASE MANHATTAN BANK (NATIONAL 
                                    ASSOCIATION), as Trustee

 
                                    By:____________________________
                                        Authorized Signatory


                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
                               [Reverse of Note]

                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.

                           ____% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2003


     This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of debentures, notes or other
evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the "Securities") of the Company,
all such Securities issued and to be issued under an Indenture for Debt
Securities (herein, together with all indentures supplemental thereto, called
the "Indenture") dated as of _______________, 1996, between the Company and The
Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association), as Trustee, to which Indenture
reference is hereby made for a specification of the rights and limitation of
rights thereunder of the Holders of the Securities and of the rights,
obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee and of the Company.  As
provided in the Indenture, the Securities may be issued in one or more series,
which different series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may
mature at different times, may bear interest, if any, at different rates, may be
subject to different redemption provisions, if any, may be subject to different
sinking, purchase or analogous funds, if any, may be subject to different
covenants and Events of Default and may otherwise vary as in the Indenture
provided or permitted.  This Note is one of a series designated on the face
hereof (the "Notes").

     The Notes are not redeemable by the Company prior to maturity and do not
provide for any sinking fund.

     If any Event of Default with respect to the Notes, as defined in the
Indenture, shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.

     The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities under the Indenture at
any time by the Company with the consent of the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding, as defined
in the Indenture, of each series of Securities to be affected thereby.  The
Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified
percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any series at the
time Outstanding, as defined in the Indenture, on behalf of the Holders of all
the Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain
provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and
their consequences

                                      -1-
<PAGE>

certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences with respect to
such series.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be
conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note
and of any Note issued upon the transfer herefor or in exchange herefor or in
lieu hereof whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this
Note.

     No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of
the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note at
the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

     As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set
forth, this Note is transferable on the Securities Register of the Company, upon
surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of
the Company to be maintained for that purpose in The City of New York, duly
endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in the form
satisfactory to the Company and the Securities Registrar duly executed by the
Holder herefor or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or
more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal
amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

     The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000.  As provided in the
Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the Notes are
exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of a like tenor and
of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering
the same.

     If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series notifies the
Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the
Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of
such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.3 of the Indenture, the
Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of
such series.  If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not
appointed by the Company within 90 days after the issuer receives such notice or
becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company's election pursuant to Section
3.1 of the Indenture shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities
of such series and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a
Company Order for the authentication and delivery of certificated Securities of
such series of like tenor, shall authenticate and deliver Securities of such
series

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

of like tenor in certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or
Securities of such series of like tenor in global form in exchange for such
Security or Securities in global form.

     The Company may at any time in its sole discretion determine that
Securities of a series issued in global form shall no longer be represented by
such a Security or Securities in global form.  In such event the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication
and delivery of certificated Securities of such series of like tenor, shall
authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series of like tenor in
certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate principal
amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities of such
series of like tenor in global form in exchange for such Security or Securities
in global form.  Except as provided above, owners of beneficial interests in
this permanent global Note will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of
Notes in certificated registered form and will not be considered the Holders
thereof for any purpose under the Indenture.

     No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the
Company in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in this Note,
or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had
against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past,
present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either
directly or indirectly through the Company or any successor corporation, under
any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of
any assessment, penalty or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise,
all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance hereof
and as a condition of and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof.

     The Indenture with respect to any series will be discharged and cancelled
except for certain Sections thereof, subject to the terms of the Indenture, upon
the payment of all the Securities of such series or upon the irrevocable deposit
with the Trustee of cash or Government Obligations (or a combination thereof)
sufficient for such payment in accordance with Article 4 of the Indenture.

     Certain terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture have the
meanings set forth therein.

     This Note shall for all purposes be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.


                                      -3-
<PAGE>

     The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may
deem and treat the person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner
hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue and notwithstanding
any notation of ownership or other writing hereon, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.


                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
                                 ABBREVIATIONS

     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription of the face of
this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

          TEN COM - as tenants in common
          TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties
          JT TEN  - as joint tenants with right of survivorship
                    and not as tenants in common
          UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -
             ___________________ Custodian ______________________
                   (Cust)                         (Minor)

             Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

             ____________________________________________________

     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

                           __________________________

     FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto


  PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
____________________________________
                                  
____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
           (Please Print or Typewrite Name and Address of Assignee)

the within instrument of FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC. and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint _________________________________________________________
____________________________ Attorney to transfer said instrument on the books 
of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated _____________                    _____________________________________
       Signature

NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without
alteration by enlargement or any change whatever.


                                      -5-

<PAGE>
 
                                                                       Exhibit 5
                                [Letterhead of]
                   FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER & JACOBSON


                                                               February 16, 1996

Farmland Industries, Inc.
3315 North Farmland Trafficway
Kansas City, Missouri 64116-0005

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We are acting as special counsel for Farmland Industries, Inc., a Kansas
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the Registration Statement on
Form S-3 (Registration No. 33-61709) (the "Registration Statement") under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the
contemplated issuance by the Company from time to time of up to $200,000,000
aggregate public offering price of debt securities of the Company (the "Debt
Securities"), which may be issued pursuant to an indenture (the "Indenture") to
be entered into between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
Association), as trustee (the "Trustee"). Capitalized terms used herein have the
meanings set forth in the Registration Statement, unless otherwise defined
herein.

     We have examined the originals, or certified, conformed or reproduction 
copies, of all records, agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed 
relevant or necessary as the basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. In 
all such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on 
original or certified copies, the authenticity of all original or certified 
copies, and the conformity to original or certified copies of all copies 
submitted to us as conformed or reproduction copies. As to various questions of 
fact relevant to such opinions, we have relied upon, and assumed the accuracy 
of, certificates and statements and other information of public officials, 
officers or representatives of the Company and others.
<PAGE>
 
                                      -2-


     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations set forth herein,
we are of the opinion that:

     Assuming the Indenture is duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company and the Trustee, when the terms of the Debt Securities and their issue
and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Indenture so as not
to violate any applicable law or agreement or instrument then binding on the
Company, the Debt Securities have been duly executed and authenticated in
accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Debt Securities have been
issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Debt
Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, subject
to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium
or other laws now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors' rights generally
and (ii) general principles of equity (including, without limitation, standards
of materiality, good faith, fair dealing and reasonableness), whether considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law.

     This opinion expressly is limited to the laws of the State of New York.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the references to this firm under the captions
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus and "Legal Matters" in any Prospectus
Supplement forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving these
consents, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose
consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

     The opinions expressed herein are solely for the benefit of the Company and
the Trustee (who may rely on this letter as though it were an addressee) and may
not be relied upon in any manner or for any purpose by any other person and may 
not be quoted in whole or in part without our prior written consent.

                                              Very truly yours,

                                  FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER & JACOBSON


                                  By:      /s/ Kenneth R. Blackman  
                                     -------------------------------------
                                               Kenneth R. Blackman

<PAGE>
 
       
                                                                     EXHIBIT 12
 
                  FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
              COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
                                      YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31                  THREE MONTHS ENDED
                          ----------------------------------------------  -----------------------
                                                                          NOVEMBER 30 NOVEMBER 30
                            1991     1992     1993      1994      1995       1994        1995
                          -------- -------- --------  --------  --------  ----------- -----------
                                                 (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                       <C>      <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>         <C>
Pretax Income (Loss)....  $ 50,166 $ 70,504 $(36,833) $ 78,766  $197,641    $56,713     $66,702
Minority Interest in
 Income of Consolidated
 Subsidiary that has
 Fixed Charges..........       -0-      -0-      865       333     9,793         33       1,404
Minority Interest in
 Loss of Consolidated
 Subsidiary that has
 Fixed Costs............       -0-      -0-      (37)   (4,855)      -0-       (246)        -0-
Equity Interest in Loss
 (Income) (Earnings less
 Distributions) of Less-
 than-Fifty Percent
 Owned Investees........       856    2,341    1,007      (603)     (623)      (421)        166
Total Fixed Charges
 (excluding Interest
 Capitalized)...........    54,443   47,719   55,268    64,383    67,356     16,733      17,867
                          -------- -------- --------  --------  --------    -------     -------
Earnings................  $105,465 $120,564 $ 20,270  $138,024  $274,167    $72,812     $86,139
                          ======== ======== ========  ========  ========    =======     =======
Fixed Charges:
 Interest (including
  Amounts Capitalized)..  $ 42,481 $ 34,426 $ 43,873  $ 51,842  $ 54,582    $13,544     $14,632
 Estimated Interest
  Component of Rentals..    12,290   13,293   13,006    12,898    13,494      3,290       3,578
                          -------- -------- --------  --------  --------    -------     -------
 Total Fixed Charges....  $ 54,771 $ 47,719 $ 56,879  $ 64,740  $ 68,076    $16,834     $18,210
                          ======== ======== ========  ========  ========    =======     =======
Ratio of Earnings to
 Fixed Charges..........       1.9      2.5   Note 1       2.1       4.0        4.3         4.7
Earnings Inadequate to
 Cover Fixed Charges....                    $ 36,609
                                            ========
</TABLE>    
- --------
(1) In computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings represent
    pretax income (loss) for the enterprise as a whole including 100% of such
    income (loss) of minority-owned subsidiaries which have fixed charges, the
    Company's share of 50%-owned entities and any distributed earnings (but
    not losses or undistributed earnings) of less-than-50% owned entities plus
    fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest and finance charges on
    all indebtedness plus that portion of rentals considered to be the
    interest factor. Income was inadequate to cover fixed charges for the year
    ended August 31, 1993. The dollar amount of the coverage deficiency was
    $36.6 million.
 
                                       1

<PAGE>
 
                                                                 EXHIBIT 23.1

                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT


The Board of Directors
Farmland Industries, Inc.

We consent to the use of our report incorporated herein by reference, and to the
references to our firm under the headings "Selected Consolidated Financial Data"
in the prospectus supplement and "Experts" in the prospectus.

Our report dated October 20, 1995 contains an explanatory paragraph concerning
income tax adjustments proposed by the Internal Revenue Service relating to 
Terra Resources, Inc.


                                       /s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
                                       KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP


Kansas City, Missouri
February 16, 1996

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.4



                        CONSENT OF SPECIAL TAX COUNSEL



Farmland Industries, Inc.:


We consent to the references to our firm in the Prospectus (or in any previously
filed document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) filed as part of
this Registration Statement.


                                         /s/ Bryan Cave LLP

                                         BRYAN CAVE LLP



February 16, 1996

<PAGE>
 
                                                                 EXHIBIT 99.1

                                [Letterhead of]

                           FARMLAND INDUSTRIES, INC.

                                                            November __, 1995


Farmland Industries, Inc.
3315 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, Missouri 64116-0005

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am acting as the General Counsel for Farmland Industries, Inc., a
Kansas corporation (the "Company"), in connection with Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 33-61709) (the
"Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), with respect to the contemplated issuance by the Company
from time to time of up to $200,000,000 aggregate public offering price of
debt securities of the Company, which may be issued pursuant to an Indenture
to be entered into between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
Association), as trustee (the "Trustee"). Capitalized terms used herein have
the meanings set forth in the Registration Statement, unless otherwise defined
herein.

     I have examined the originals, or certified, conformed or reproduction 
copies, of all records, agreements, instruments and documents as I have deemed
relevant or necessary as the basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. In
all such examinations, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on
original or certified copies and the conformity to original or certified copies
of all copies submitted to me as conformed or reproduction copies. As to
various questions of fact relevant to such opinions, I have relied upon, and
assumed the accuracy of, certificates and statements and other information of
public officials, officers or representatives of the Company and others.

     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations set forth herein,
I hereby confirm the opinions attributed to me in the Registration Statement.
<PAGE>
 
                                      -2-

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 
Registration Statement and to the references to me under the captions "Legal 
Matters" in the Prospectus and "Legal Matters" in any Prospectus Supplement 
forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving these consents, I do not
hereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required 
under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

     The opinions expressed herein are solely for the benefit of the Company and
the Trustee (who may rely on this letter as though it were an addressee) and may
not be relied upon in any manner or for any purpose by any other person and may 
not be quoted in whole or in part without my prior written consent.

                                            Very truly yours,



                                            Robert B. Terry


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