Ken Shilling learned this morning he'll finally get to enjoy the $40 Quality Farm & Fleet gift certificate he got for Christmas.

A deal was reached whereby those holding gift certificates issued by financially ailing Quality Farm Stores Inc. between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 may redeem the certificates at its stores or get a cash refund.

Attorneys General from Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, Ohio and West Virginia intervened in the case after receiving consumer complaints against the farm store chain. The bankruptcy judge overseeing Quality Farm's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case approved the refund order on Thursday.

After getting a gift certificate from his daughter, Shilling, 81, of Otter Creek Township, visited Quality Farm's Hempfield Township store to buy supplies. After presenting the certificate to a cashier, he was told the store wasn't accepting them.

Shilling visited the store shortly after the company announced it was closing all 153 of its stores in 10 states including its Central Tractor Farm store in Union Township in Lawrence County.

Shilling,said he was happy his complaint was resolved and was pondering his options for the gift certificate.

"I'm not sure what I'll do,'' he said. "I might as well take the cash I suppose.''

Filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late October, the Muskegon, Mich., company sold about $814,000 in gift certificates in November and December, said Mike Fisher, Pennsylvania Attorney General. He said his office received dozens of consumer complaints against the company which also operated Central Tractor Farm & Country stores.

"When the (bankruptcy) filing become public at the end of December, the company no longer honored the certificates,'' Fisher said. "This ruling allows Pennsylvania consumers to make purchases with the certificates or apply for a cash refund.''

Fisher said his office argued the company willingly sold gift certificates to consumers knowing it was seeking bankruptcy and was not likely to honor the certificates.

Quality Farm auctioned off store assets for $104 million to Tractor Supply Co. and four other retailers, which formed a joint venture to liquidate merchandise in the stores.

Those seeking a cash refund must send their original gift certificate to:

Quality Stores Inc.

455 East Ellis Road

P.O. Box 3315

Muskegon, MI 49443-3315

Quality Stores will issue refund checks to eligible consumers within 10 business days. Consumers who already sent their original gift certificate along with their "proof of claim'' filing to the federal bankruptcy court in Michigan will receive an automatic cash refund, Fisher said.