CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 25, 2016	Dec. 27, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 718,167	$ 480,117	$ 662,972
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	277,792	231,708	173,817
Asset impairment	5,156	790	4,813
Foreign currency transaction gains related to borrowing arrangements	(1,387)	0	0
Amortization of bond premium	(180)	0	0
Gain on property disposals	(506)	(8,914)	(10,372)
Loss (gain) on equity method investments	(59)	452	0
Share-based compensation	3,020	6,102	2,975
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)	(49,963)	(5,034)	19,872
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts and other receivables	(82,169)	(32,428)	76,130
Inventories	(207,399)	(33,083)	83,595
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(14,827)	19,270	23,578
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(22,827)	75,893	36,314
Income taxes	188,120	75,238	(55,324)
Long-term pension and other postretirement obligations	(10,864)	(10,165)	(3,500)
Other	(753)	(4,584)	5,510
Cash provided by operating activities	801,321	795,362	1,020,380
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(339,872)	(340,960)	(190,262)
Purchase of acquired business, net of cash acquired	(658,520)	0	(373,532)
Proceeds from property disposals	4,475	13,375	14,610
Proceeds from settlement of life insurance contract	1,845	0	0
Cash used in investing activities	(992,072)	(327,585)	(549,184)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from notes payable to bank	0	36,838	28,726
Payments on notes payable to bank	0	(65,564)	0
Payment of note payable to affiliate	(753,512)	0	0
Proceeds from revolving line of credit and long-term borrowings	1,871,818	593,015	1,680,000
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations	(628,677)	(570,015)	(690,138)
Proceeds from capital contribution under Tax Sharing Agreement between JBS USA Food Company Holdings and Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation	5,038	3,690	0
Tax benefit related to share-based compensation	0	0	6,474
Capital contributions to subsidiary by noncontrolling stockholders	0	7,252	0
Payment of capitalized loan costs	(13,631)	(693)	(12,364)
Purchase of common stock under share repurchase program	(14,641)	(117,884)	(99,233)
Purchase of common stock from retirement plan participants	0	(73)	0
Payment of cash dividend	0	(714,785)	(1,498,470)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	466,395	(828,219)	(585,005)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	16,364	(38,587)	(4,264)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	292,008	(399,029)	(118,073)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	297,523	696,552	814,625
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	589,531	297,523	696,552
Supplemental Disclosure Information:
Interest paid (net of amount capitalized)	81,260	69,857	42,968
Income taxes paid	$ 122,956	$ 161,026	$ 361,183