FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * SANDERSON WILLIAM R   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol SANDERSON FARMS INC [SAFM] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 36 BRIAR CREEK CIRCLE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/20/2004 (Street) LAUREL, MS 39440 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 12/22/2004 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 12/20/2004   M   2,812 A $ 12.3666 429,065 D   Common Stock 12/20/2004   S   2,812 D $ 41.25 426,253 D   Common Stock               15,648 I Allocated to Reporting Person's account in Issuer ESOP Common Stock               42,201 I (1) As custodian for minor children Common Stock               214,225 I (1) As co-executor for Estate of Joe Frank Sanderson

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 12.3666

12/20/2004

M

2,812

07/25/2003(2)

07/25/2012

Common Stock

2,812

$ 0

5,626

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SANDERSON WILLIAM R 36 BRIAR CREEK CIRCLE LAUREL, MS 39440	X

Signatures

/s/ D. Michael Cockrell, Attorney-in-Fact		12/23/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.
(2)	Exercisable for a 10-year period, with vesting beginning on the date indicated, which was one year after the date of grant. Vesting continues thereafter at 25% per year on each anniversary date until fully vested.
Remarks: This amended Form 4 is being filed to correct the transaction code for one of the reported transactions, to reflect a  previously reported transaction in Table II as well as in Table I, and to correct the footnotes to the original Form 4.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

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