UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    Form 8-K

                                 Current Report
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of
earliest event reported):     December 20, 2002

                            Brown-Forman Corporation
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

   Delaware                    1-123              61-0243150
(State or other            (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
 jurisdiction of            File Number)       Identification No.)
 incorporation)

 850 Dixie Highway, Louisville, Kentucky           40210
(Address of principal executive offices)         (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code (502) 585-1100



Item 5.

On December 20, 2002, Brown-Forman Corporation issued a press release announcing
the  resignation  by Jerry E. Abramson  from the  company's  board of directors,
effective today. A copy of Brown-Forman  Corporation's press release is attached
hereto as Exhibit 99.


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                       Brown-Forman Corporation
                                            (Registrant)


Date:   December 20, 2002                 By:  /s/ Michael B. Crutcher
                                                Michael B. Crutcher
                                                Senior Vice President,
                                                General Counsel, and Secretary



Exhibit Index
(99)  Press Release, dated December 20, 2002, issued by Brown-Forman Corporation


                                                                   Exhibit 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAYOR-ELECT JERRY ABRAMSON STEPS DOWN FROM BROWN-FORMAN BOARD

Louisville, KY, December 20, 2002- Brown-Forman Chairman and CEO Owsley Brown II
announced today that Jerry E. Abramson,  mayor-elect of the new Louisville Metro
Government, has resigned from the company's Board of Directors, effective today.

In making  the  announcement,  Brown  said,  "Mayor-elect  Abramson  has been an
exceptionally  valuable member of our Board for the last four years and while we
are sorry to lose him,  we're proud that our  community has chosen him to be the
leader of our new merged city-county government."

Abramson stated,  "I have enjoyed immensely serving on the Board of Directors of
this fine  Louisville-based  company, but believe that it would be inappropriate
to continue that service when I assume public office."

Abramson,  who takes office January 6, was mayor of the former  Louisville  city
government from 1986 to 1999, after which he joined Brown-Forman's Board.

The  departure  of Abramson  reduces the number of  Brown-Forman's  Directors to
eleven from twelve.

Brown-Forman  is a  diversified  producer and marketer of fine quality  consumer
products,  including Jack Daniel's,  Canadian Mist, Southern Comfort, Fetzer and
Bolla Wines,  Korbel California  Champagnes,  Lenox, Dansk, and Gorham tableware
giftware, and Hartmann Luggage.