REVENUE RECOGNITION - Disaggregated Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 28, 2021	Mar. 29, 2020
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	$ 3,273,425	$ 3,074,928
Chicken
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	2,920,601	2,753,839
Chicken, Fresh
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	2,180,589	2,066,505
Chicken, Prepared
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	437,989	435,463
Chicken, Export
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	177,522	117,966
Chicken, Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	124,501	133,905
Chicken and Pork, Export
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	193,353	136,016
Chicken and Pork, Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	125,244	154,632
U.S. | Chicken
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	1,999,559	1,926,880
U.S. | Chicken, Fresh
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	1,597,423	1,541,640
U.S. | Chicken, Prepared
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	194,272	216,087
U.S. | Chicken, Export
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	113,971	58,854
U.S. | Chicken, Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	93,893	110,299
U.K. and Europe | Chicken
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	501,911	501,173
U.K. and Europe | Chicken, Fresh
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	210,445	231,953
U.K. and Europe | Chicken, Prepared
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	216,313	194,405
U.K. and Europe | Chicken, Export
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	63,551	59,112
U.K. and Europe | Chicken, Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	11,602	15,703
U.K. and Europe | Pork
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	352,824	321,089
U.K. and Europe | Pork, Fresh
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	176,441	164,682
U.K. and Europe | Pork, Prepared
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	159,809	117,630
U.K. and Europe | Pork, Export
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	15,831	18,050
U.K. and Europe | Pork, Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	743	20,727
U.K. and Europe | Chicken and Pork, Fresh
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	2,357,030	2,231,187
U.K. and Europe | Chicken and Pork, Prepared
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	597,798	553,093
Mexico | Chicken
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	419,131	325,786
Mexico | Chicken, Fresh
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	372,721	292,912
Mexico | Chicken, Prepared
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	27,404	24,971
Mexico | Chicken, Export
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	0	0
Mexico | Chicken, Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total net sales	$ 19,006	$ 7,903