CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Apr. 01, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 2,724,675	$ 2,746,678
Cost of sales	2,505,736	2,459,013
Gross profit	218,939	287,665
Selling, general and administrative expense	81,924	85,283
Administrative restructuring activity	(27)	789
Operating income	137,042	201,593
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest	33,562	50,300
Interest income	(3,340)	(1,590)
Foreign currency transaction loss (gain)	2,636	(1,721)
Miscellaneous, net	(357)	(1,617)
Income before income taxes	104,541	156,221
Income tax expense	20,416	36,997
Net income	84,125	119,224
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	114	(194)
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation	$ 84,011	$ 119,418
Weighted average shares of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation common stock outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	249,167	248,838
Effect of dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)	390	151
Diluted (in shares)	249,557	248,989
Net income attributable to Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation per share of common stock outstanding:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.34	$ 0.48
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.34	$ 0.48