Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 28, 1994                   TAG: 9408180129
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS

ARLINGTON - The head of USAir said Wednesday the airline is ``open-minded'' about the possibility of its unions acquiring part ownership in exchange for wage concessions.

``There is a recognition that for the very significant [wage] reductions that we're asking for, that we would expect that there would be some quid pro quo for that,'' said Chairman Seth Schofield. He made the comments at the airline's annual shareholders meeting.

On Monday, the union representing pilots at USAir said it would offer the struggling carrier $750 million in wage concessions in return for part ownership.

- Associated Press

More vegetable acreage planted

WASHINGTON - Acreage for harvest of processed vegetables increased 12 percent this year from 1993, with tomato production predicted to reach a record high, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.

Processors contracted out 1.49 million acres from farmers for the production of five major crops: snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers for pickles, green peas and tomatoes. With the exception of cucumbers, acreage for each of the vegetables increased from the previous year.

Tomatoes are forecast to weigh in at a record 11 million tons, an increase of 14 percent from 1993 and 27 percent from 1992. Green pea production increased 42 percent from 1993 to 474,490 tons, mainly because last year's crop suffered from bad weather.

- Associated Press

Vaccine created for shipping fever

WASHINGTON - Researchers have created a more effective vaccine for shipping fever, a potentially fatal livestock disease that costs U.S. cattle producers around $1 billion annually, the Agriculture Department says.

Combining an immune booster and purified bacterial component of Pasteurella haemolytica, which causes the disease, researchers have successfully prevented infection in sheep, according to Agricultural Research magazine. Trials also were done on cattle at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa.

Shipping fever, also known as pneumonic pasteurellosis, can be contracted by all breeds of U.S. cattle, sheep and goats.

- Associated Press