REPORTABLE SEGMENTS (Schedule of Sales by Product Lines) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2019	Sep. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	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. 29, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total	$ 3,063,489	$ 2,777,970	$ 2,843,085	$ 2,724,675	$ 2,656,789	$ 2,697,604	$ 2,836,713	$ 2,746,678	$ 2,742,352	$ 2,793,885	$ 2,752,286	$ 2,479,340	$ 11,409,219	$ 10,937,784	$ 10,767,863
Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													10,680,004	10,416,345	10,125,690
Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													442,630	521,439	642,173
U.S.
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													7,636,716	7,425,661	7,443,222
U.S. | Fresh - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													6,214,954	5,959,458	5,700,503
U.S. | Prepared - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													842,365	773,983	950,378
U.S. | Exports - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													282,791	258,732	213,595
U.S. | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													7,340,110	6,992,173	6,864,476
U.S. | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													296,606	433,488	578,746
U.K. and Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													2,383,793	2,148,666	1,996,319
U.K. and Europe | Fresh - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													918,852	925,124	846,575
U.K. and Europe | Prepared - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													817,292	865,864	792,284
U.K. and Europe | Exports - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													262,041	303,921	318,699
U.K. and Europe | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													1,998,185	2,094,909	1,957,558
U.K. and Europe | Fresh - Pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													135,985	0	0
U.K. and Europe | Prepared - Pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													134,426	0	0
U.K. and Europe | Exports - Pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													16,174	0	0
U.K. and Europe | Total U.K. and Europe pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													286,585	0	0
U.K. and Europe | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													99,023	53,757	38,761
Mexico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													1,388,710	1,363,457	1,328,322
Mexico | Fresh - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													1,245,976	1,252,403	1,245,144
Mexico | Prepared - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													95,733	76,860	58,512
Mexico | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													1,341,709	1,329,263	1,303,656
Mexico | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													47,001	34,194	24,666
Intersegment Sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total													$ 188,900	$ 100,700	$ 84,300