-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 C7ZITs+pj6B16nSk7nv+Oz7mRA2h+aa7DcvHdx6dc8aTSMgOCN3Zeb9F6Us2RSmF
 E1R23jZqkhB/Ksm2M5jTaQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000014693-03-000039.txt : 20030604
<SEC-HEADER>0000014693-03-000039.hdr.sgml : 20030604
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030604115917
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000014693-03-000039
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030603
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030604

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PROBUS LAWRENCE K
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001197229

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	002-26821
		FILM NUMBER:		03731672

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PO BOX 1080
		CITY:			LOUISVILLE
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			40201

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BROWN FORMAN CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000014693
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	BEVERAGES [2080]
		IRS NUMBER:				610143150
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0430

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		850 DIXIE HWY
		CITY:			LOUISVILLE
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			40210
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5025851100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O BOX 1080
		CITY:			LOUISVILLE
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			40201

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BROWN FORMAN INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19870816

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BROWN FORMAN DISTILLERS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19840807

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BROWN FORMAN DISTILLERY CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19670730
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-03</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000014693</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BROWN FORMAN CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BFA, BFB</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001197229</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PROBUS LAWRENCE K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>SVP, Dir. Corp Finance, PAO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Class B Common</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4286</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.44</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4490</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfO
wnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Class B Common</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4286</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>79.0672</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>204</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</val
ue></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>50.44</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4286</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-05-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-04-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class B Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4286</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOw
nership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person also holds 1,665 shares indirectly through a retirement account.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>John R. Edds,  Attn in Fact for: Larwence K. Probus</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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