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

DATE: THURSDAY, August 11, 1994                   TAG: 9409080028
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS

WASHINGTON - Continuing the trend of the past decade, the number of U.S. farms dropped 1 percent last year, leaving 2.04 million in operation, the Agriculture Department says.

The amount of land utilized for farming as of June 1 also declined, to 975 million acres, down 2.9 million acres from the previous year.

Despite the decline in farms and acreage, the average size of the remaining farms increased from 473 acres in 1993 to 478, again following the trend of the past decade.

Farms that sold more than $100,000 worth of agricultural products rose in number from 339,500 to 342,700. Farms with sales between $10,000 and $99,999 fell from 732,830 to 729,900. Smaller operations - sales between $1,000 and $9,999 - showed the most losses from their ranks, dropping from 992,600 to 967,810.

- Associated Press

Judge backs Va.'s anti-takeover laws

HARRISONBURG - A federal judge has rejected arguments by Tyson Foods Inc. that Virginia laws virtually prohibit a hostile takeover of a state corporation.

Until last week, Tyson had been engaged in a bitterly contested bid to take over WLR Foods Inc. of Rockingham County.

U.S. District Judge James Michael Jr. ruled Tuesday that Virginia laws ``do not violate the Commerce Clause'' of the U.S. Constitution

The Constitution ``does not give Tyson a right to purchase WLR for $30 a share. It merely ensures that Tyson have a chance to do so equal to that of a Virginia resident offering $30 a share,'' Michael wrote.

Tyson, of Springdale, Ark., said last Thursday it was dropping its $30-a-share offer for WLR because the Virginia company was in the midst of purchasing a North Carolina turkey processor in an apparent move to halt the takeover.

Whether Tuesday's ruling will end the WLR-Tyson court battle is not clear. The ruling was on constitutional and technical questions and could be appealed. A trial date also is set for Sept. 12-16 if there are still disputes over any facts in the case that the two sides want to pursue.

- Associated Press