CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 25, 2016	Dec. 27, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 439,729	$ 645,962	$ 711,438
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	180,515	158,975	155,824
Asset impairment	790	4,813	0
Foreign currency transaction losses	0	0	38,129
Accretion of bond discount	0	0	2,243
Gain on property disposals	(7,660)	(10,372)	(1,407)
Loss on equity method investments	452	0	0
Share-based compensation	6,102	2,975	4,928
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)	(3,424)	29,512	78,943
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	(4,979)	0	0
Trade accounts and other receivables	35,617	61,294	(9,526)
Inventories	(11,905)	57,078	10,638
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	18,146	19,840	(38,010)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	38,427	61,882	44,833
Income taxes	74,597	(55,428)	74,705
Long-term pension and other postretirement obligations	(10,165)	(3,500)	(5,784)
Other	(759)	3,797	(262)
Cash provided by operating activities	755,483	976,828	1,066,692
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(272,467)	(175,764)	(171,443)
Purchase of acquired business, net of cash acquired	0	(373,532)	0
Purchases of investment securities	0	0	(55,100)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities	0	0	152,050
Proceeds from property disposals	10,805	14,610	11,108
Cash used in investing activities	(261,662)	(534,686)	(63,385)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from notes payable to bank	36,838	28,726	0
Payments on notes payable to bank	(65,564)	0	0
Proceeds from revolving line of credit and long-term borrowings	579,876	1,680,000	0
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations	(556,658)	(683,780)	(910,234)
Proceeds from capital contribution under Tax Sharing Agreement between JBS USA Food Company Holdings and Pilgrim's Pride Corporation	3,690	0	3,849
Tax benefit related to share-based compensation	0	6,474	458
Capital contributions to subsidiary by noncontrolling stockholders	7,252	0	332
Payment of capitalized loan costs	(693)	(12,364)	0
Purchase of common stock under share repurchase program	(117,884)	(99,233)	0
Purchase of common stock from retirement plan participants	(73)	0	0
Payment of special cash dividend	(699,915)	(1,498,470)	0
Cash used in financing activities	(813,131)	(578,647)	(905,595)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	(29,775)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(319,310)	(136,505)	67,937
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	439,638	576,143	508,206
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	120,328	439,638	576,143
Supplemental Disclosure Information:
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	41,774	24,210	71,558
Income taxes paid	$ 152,884	$ 360,347	$ 257,152