LONG-TERM DEBT AND OTHER BORROWING ARRANGEMENTS (Schedule of Long-term Debt and Other Borrowing Arrangements) (Details) £ in Millions			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2016	Jan. 29, 2016	Sep. 24, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 08, 2017 GBP (£)	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 11, 2015	May 29, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt			$ 2,629,080,000		$ 1,429,981,000
Less: Current maturities of long-term debt			(61,811,000)		(15,712,000)
Long-term debt, less current maturities			2,567,269,000		1,414,269,000
Less: Capitalized financing costs			(18,694,000)		(18,145,000)
Long-term debt, less current maturities, net of capitalized financing costs:			$ 2,548,575,000		1,396,124,000
Term note payable at 2.55% | Line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			2.55%
Long-term debt			$ 790,000,000		500,000,000
Revolving note payable at 2.48% | Line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			2.48%
Long-term debt			$ 73,262,000		0
Mexico Credit Facility (defined below) with notes payable at TIIE Rate plus 0.95% | Line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt			$ 84,524,000		23,304,000
Mexico Credit Facility (defined below) with notes payable at TIIE Rate plus 0.95% | Line of credit | TIIE Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.95%		0.95%
Moy Park Multicurrency Revolving Facility with notes payable at LIBOR rate plus 2.5% | Line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt			$ 9,953,000		11,985,000
Moy Park Multicurrency Revolving Facility with notes payable at LIBOR rate plus 2.5% | Line of credit | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate		1.50%	2.50%
Moy Park Receivable with payables at LIBOR plus 1.5% | Line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt			$ 0		0
Moy Park France Invoice Discounting Revolver with payables at EURIBOR plus 0.8% | Line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt			$ 3,930,000		8,918,000
Senior notes | Senior notes payable at 5.75%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			5.75%			5.75%
Long-term debt			$ 500,000,000		500,000,000
Senior notes | Senior notes payable at 6.25%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			6.25%				6.25%
Long-term debt			$ 401,982,000		369,736,000
Mortgages | Chattels mortgages with payables at weighted average of 3.74%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate			3.74%
Long-term debt			$ 1,015,000		1,432,000
Notes Payable to Related Parties | JBS S.A. Promissory Note at 0.0%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			0.00%
Long-term debt			$ 753,705,000		0
Subordinated Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt | £				£ 562.5
Subordinated Debt | Term Loan Agence L'eau
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt			6,000		6,000
Other long-term debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt			$ 10,703,000		$ 14,600,000