BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands, lb in Millions, bird / WK in Millions				3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 08, 2017 USD ($) bird / WK lb hatchery mill plant	Jan. 06, 2017 USD ($) employee bird / WK plant	Jun. 29, 2015 USD ($) employee bird / WK trade_name distribution_center plant	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) employee bird / WK	Dec. 25, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 24, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 26, 2017 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Maximum processing capacity of employees per week (in birds per week) | bird / WK						45.2
Number of employees of acquiree (more than) | employee						51,300
Additions						$ 131,120	$ 0
Trade names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Additions						38,200	0
Customer relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Additions						$ 92,900	0
Moy Park
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of equity acquired	100.00%
Cash consideration	$ 301,300
Note payable for consideration transferred	$ 562,500
Fresh processing plants (in plants) | plant	4
Prepared foods cook plants (in plants) | plant	10
Feed mills (in mills) | mill	3
Hatcheries | hatchery	7
Rendering facilities | plant	1
Maximum processing capacity of employees per week (in birds per week) | bird / WK	6.0
Food prepared annual amount (in tons) | lb	456.0
Number of employees of acquiree (more than) | employee						10,200
Transaction costs	$ 19,600					$ 4,500		$ 15,000
GNP
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of equity acquired		100.00%
Cash consideration		$ 350,000
Maximum processing capacity of employees per week (in birds per week) | bird / WK		2.1
Number of employees of acquiree (more than) | employee		1,500
Transaction costs		$ 600							$ 600
Processing plants acquired (in plants) | plant		2
Net sales of acquiree since acquisition date						433,900
Net income (loss) of acquiree since acquisition date						30,400
Additions		$ 131,120
GNP | Trade names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired royalty rate used in determination of fair value		2.00%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, net sales growth rate used in determination of fair value		2.50%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, income tax rate used in determination of fair value		39.30%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, income tax amortization benefit factor used in determination of fair value		1.2098
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired, Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Saved Rate		13.80%
Additions		$ 38,200
GNP | Customer relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, net sales growth rate used in determination of fair value		2.50%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, income tax rate used in determination of fair value		39.30%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, income tax amortization benefit factor used in determination of fair value		1.2098
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired, Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Saved Rate		13.80%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, customer attrition rate used in determination of fair value		4.00%
Additions		$ 92,900
Tyson Mexico
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of equity acquired			100.00%
Cash consideration			$ 400,000
Maximum processing capacity of employees per week (in birds per week) | bird / WK			2.9
Number of employees of acquiree (more than) | employee			4,400
Processing plants acquired (in plants) | plant			3
Net sales of acquiree since acquisition date				$ 121,700	$ 128,900	141,400	250,600
Net income (loss) of acquiree since acquisition date				$ (10,800)	$ (2,900)	$ 6,300	$ (13,700)
Number of distribution centers acquired | distribution_center			5
Tyson Mexico | Customer relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, net sales growth rate used in determination of fair value			4.00%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, income tax rate used in determination of fair value			30.00%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, customer attrition rate used in determination of fair value			7.90%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, income tax amortization benefit rate used in determination of fair value			23.40%
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired, discount rate used in determination of fair value			13.50%
Additions			$ 16,700
Tyson Mexico | Trade names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, number of trade names valued using the income approach | trade_name			2
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, royalty rate saved used in determination of fair value			1.40%
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, net sales growth rate used in determination of fair value, terminal year			3.80%
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, income tax rate used in determination of fair value			30.00%
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, income tax amortization benefit rate used in determination of fair value			15.00%
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, discount rate used in determination of fair value			12.00%
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, fair value			$ 9,700
Tyson Mexico | Trade names | Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, royalty rates used in determination of fair value			4.00%
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, net sales growth rate used in determination of fair value			3.50%
Tyson Mexico | Trade names | Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, royalty rates used in determination of fair value			5.00%
Indefinite-lived trade names acquired, net sales growth rate used in determination of fair value			4.00%