REPORTABLE SEGMENTS (Schedule of Sales by Product Lines and Assets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2020	Sep. 27, 2020	Jun. 28, 2020	Mar. 29, 2020	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. 27, 2020	Dec. 29, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 3,117,829	$ 3,075,121	$ 2,824,023	$ 3,074,928	$ 3,063,489	$ 2,777,970	$ 2,843,085	$ 2,724,675	$ 2,656,789	$ 2,697,604	$ 2,836,713	$ 2,746,678	$ 12,091,901	$ 11,409,219	$ 10,937,784
Long-lived assets	2,946,377				2,893,574								2,946,377	2,893,574
Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													10,277,920	10,680,004	10,416,345
Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													526,798	442,630	521,439
U.S.
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													7,496,017	7,636,716	7,425,661
U.S. | Fresh - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													6,137,265	6,214,954	5,959,458
U.S. | Prepared - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													714,563	842,365	773,983
U.S. | Exports - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													306,478	282,791	258,732
U.S. | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													7,158,306	7,340,110	6,992,173
U.S. | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													337,711	296,606	433,488
U.K. and Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													3,274,292	2,383,793	2,148,666
U.K. and Europe | Fresh - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													863,670	918,852	925,124
U.K. and Europe | Prepared - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													751,196	817,292	865,864
U.K. and Europe | Exports - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													227,224	262,041	303,921
U.K. and Europe | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													1,842,090	1,998,185	2,094,909
U.K. and Europe | Fresh - Pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													730,703	135,985	0
U.K. and Europe | Prepared - Pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													486,290	134,426	0
U.K. and Europe | Exports - Pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													70,190	16,174	0
U.K. and Europe | Total U.K. and Europe pork
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													1,287,183	286,585	0
U.K. and Europe | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													145,019	99,023	53,757
Mexico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													1,321,592	1,388,710	1,363,457
Mexico | Fresh - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													1,210,952	1,245,976	1,252,403
Mexico | Prepared - Chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													66,572	95,733	76,860
Mexico | Total chicken
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													1,277,524	1,341,709	1,329,263
Mexico | Total other products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													44,068	47,001	34,194
Operating Segments | U.S.
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	1,815,460				1,789,530								1,815,460	1,789,530
Operating Segments | U.K. and Europe
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	842,049				801,887								842,049	801,887
Operating Segments | Mexico
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets	292,651				306,413								292,651	306,413
Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales													210,600	188,900	$ 100,700
Long-lived assets	$ (3,783)				$ (4,256)								$ (3,783)	$ (4,256)