BUSINESS SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC REPORTING (Schedule of Sales by Product Lines) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2018	Apr. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 24, 2017	Jun. 25, 2017	Mar. 26, 2017	Dec. 25, 2016	Sep. 25, 2016	Jun. 26, 2016	Mar. 27, 2016	Dec. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 25, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total	$ 2,656,789	$ 2,697,604	$ 2,836,713	$ 2,746,678	$ 2,742,352	$ 2,793,885	$ 2,752,286	$ 2,479,340	$ 2,370,883	$ 2,495,281	$ 2,551,990	$ 2,460,410	$ 10,937,784	$ 10,767,863	$ 9,878,564
Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													10,416,345	10,125,690	9,344,901
Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													521,439	642,173	533,663
U.S.
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													7,425,661
U.S. | Fresh chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													5,959,458	5,700,503	4,627,137
U.S. | Prepared chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													773,983	950,378	1,269,010
U.S. | Export and other chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													258,732	213,595	313,827
U.S. | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													6,992,173	6,864,476	6,209,974
U.S. | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													433,488	578,746	461,429
U.K. and Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													2,148,666
U.K. and Europe | Fresh chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													925,124	846,575	811,127
U.K. and Europe | Prepared chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													865,864	792,284	794,880
U.K. and Europe | Export and other chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													303,921	318,699	283,276
U.K. and Europe | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													2,094,909	1,957,558	1,889,283
U.K. and Europe | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													53,757	38,761	58,158
Mexico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													1,363,457
Mexico | Fresh chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													1,252,403	1,245,144	1,154,355
Mexico | Prepared chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													76,860	58,512	91,289
Mexico | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													1,329,263	1,303,656	1,245,644
Mexico | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													$ 34,194	$ 24,666	$ 14,076