<PAGE> 1
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
FARM FAMILY HOLDINGS, INC.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock ($.01 par value)
(Title of Class of Securities)
307901108
(CUSIP Number)
Ira S. Lederman
Senior Vice President -
Assistant General Counsel
W. R. Berkley Corporation
165 Mason Street
P.O. Box 2518
Greenwich, CT 06836-2518
(203) 629-3000
December 31, 1997
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with the Statement. [ ]. A fee is
not required only if the reporting person: (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of less than five percent of such class.
(See Rule 13d-7.)
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act.
(Continued on the following pages)
Page 1 of 8 Pages
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CUSIP No. 307901108 13G Page 2 of 8 Pages
1) Name of Reporting Person
S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person
W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION 22-1867895
2) Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
(a)
(b) X
3) SEC Use Only
4) Citizenship or Place of Organization Delaware
NUMBER OF 5) Sole Voting Power 272,200
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED 6) Shared Voting Power 0
7) Sole Dispositive Power 272,200
8) Shared Dispositive Power 0
9) Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
272,200 shares
10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares ( )
11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9 )
5.18%
12) Type of Reporting Person HC
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CUSIP No. 307901108 13G Page 3 of 8 Pages
ITEM 1(a). NAME OF ISSUER:
Farm Family Holdings, Inc.
(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
344 Route 9W
Glenmont, NY 12077-2910
ITEM 2(a). NAME OF PERSON FILING:
W. R. Berkley Corporation ("WRBC")
(b). Address of Principal Business Office:
165 Mason Street
P.O. Box 2518
Greenwich, CT 06836-2518
(c). Citizenship:
Delaware
(d). Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock
(e). CUSIP Number:
307901108
ITEM 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(b), OR
13d-2(b), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:
(a) Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act
----
(b) Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act
----
(c) Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act
----
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CUSIP No. 307901108 13G Page 4 of 8 Pages
(d) Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment
---- Company Act
(e) Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
---- Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(f) Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to the
---- provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 or Endowment Fund; see S240. 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)
(g) X Parent Holding Company, in accordance with S240.
---- 13d-1(b)(i)(ii)(G) (Note: See Item 7)
(h) Group, in accordance with S240. 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H).
----
ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP AS OF JANUARY 30, 1998.
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned:
272,200 shares of common stock beneficially owned including:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
No. of Shares
-------------
<S> <C>
W. R. Berkley Corporation acquired
solely for investment purposes: 0
Subsidiaries:
Acadia Insurance Company 15,000
held for investment purposes
Admiral Insurance Company held for 46,857
investment purposes
Continental Western Insurance Company 40,162
held for investment purposes
Firemen's Insurance Company of Washington, D.C 20,000
held for investment purposes
Midwest Employers Casualty Company held for 40,162
investment purposes
Nautilus Insurance Company held for 40,162
investment purposes
Signet Star Reinsurance Company held for 46,857
investment purposes
Tri-State Insurance Company of
Minnesota held for investment purposes 23,000
-------
TOTAL 272,200
-------
</TABLE>
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CUSIP No. 307901108 13G Page 5 of 8 Pages
Berkley, through its subsidiaries, has the sole power to vote or to
direct the vote of 272,200 shares of the Issuer. Berkley, through its
subsidiaries, has the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
272,200 shares of the Issuer.
(b) Percent of Class: 5.18%
(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
Sole Shared Sole Shared
Power to Power to Power to Power to
Vote or to Vote or to Dispose or Dispose or
Direct the Direct the to Direct the to Direct the
Vote Vote Disposition of Disposition of
---------- ---------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
W. R. Berkley 0 0 0 0
Corporation
Subsidiaries
Acadia Insurance 15,000 0 15,000 0
Company
Admiral Insurance 46,857 0 46,857 0
Company
Continental Western 40,162 0 40,162 0
Insurance Company
Firemen's Insurance 20,000 0 20,000 0
Company of Washington, D.C
Midwest Employers 40,162 0 40,162 0
Casualty Company
Nautilus Insurance 40,162 0 40,162 0
Company
Signet Star 46,857 0 46,857 0
Reinsurance Company
Tri-State Insurance 23,000 0 23,000 0
Company of Minnesota
------- ------- ------- -------
TOTAL 272,200 0 272,200 0
</TABLE>
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CUSIP No. 307901108 13G Page 6 of 8 Pages
Berkley, through its subsidiaries, has the sole power to vote or to
direct the vote of 272,200 shares of the Issuer. Berkley, through its
subsidiaries, has the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
272,200 shares of the Issuer.
ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS.
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the
date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial
owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the
following ( ).
ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.
See Item 4.
ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING
COMPANY.
See Item 7 Exhibit.
ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.
Not applicable.
ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP.
Not applicable.
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CUSIP No. 307901108 13G Page 7 of 8 Pages
ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION.
The following certification shall be included if the statement is
filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b):
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of
business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of
changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and were
not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
such purpose or effect.
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief,
I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
February , 1998
W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION
By: /s/ James G. Shiel
---------------------------------------
James G. Shiel
Senior Vice President - Investments
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CUSIP No. 307901108 13G Page 8 of 8 Pages
ITEM 7 EXHIBIT
W. R. Berkley Corporation, as the parent holding company of its subsidiaries
listed below, has filed this Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b)(ii)(G). Each
of the subsidiaries listed below is an insurance company as defined in Section
3(a)(19) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is licensed as an insurance
company in the domiciliary states listed below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Subsidiary Domicile State
---------- --------------
<S> <C>
Acadia Insurance Company Maine
Admiral Insurance Company Delaware
Continental Western Insurance Company Iowa
Firemen's Insurance Company of
Washington, D.C. Maryland
Midwest Employers Casualty Company Ohio
Nautilus Insurance Company Arizona
Signet Star Reinsurance Company Delaware
Tri-State Insurance Company of Minnesota Minnesota
</TABLE>
