Hershey  renews stock repurchase Program

LOS ANGELES, July 28 (Reuters) - The Hershey Co  and the Hershey Trust Co., as trustee for the Milton Hershey School Trust, on Friday said they have renewed a previous agreement for the trust to participate on a proportional basis in the company's stock repurchase program.

The current agreement began on Jan. 30 and will expire July 31. The new agreement goes into effect July 31 and will expire on Feb. 2, 2007.

Hershey's board of directors approved the repurchase of $500 million of the company's common stock in December 2005. About $245 million was used in the first half of this year and the company expects to complete the authorization by the end of 2006.