FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 23, 2012

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured On Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]

Schedule Of Carrying Values and Estimated Fair Values Of Investments In Available For Sale Securities [Table Text Block]

The asset (liability) amounts recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (carrying amounts) and the estimated fair values of financial instruments at September 23, 2012 and December 25, 2011 consisted of the following:

	September 23, 2012						December 25, 2011
	Carrying			Fair			Carrying			Fair			Note
	Amount			Value			Amount			Value			Reference
	(In thousands)
Short-term investments in available-for-sale        securities	$	—		$	—		$	157		$	157		$
Commodity derivative assets(a):														6
Futures		7,689			7,689			2,870			2,870
Long-term investments in available-for-sale        securities		—			—			497			497
Commodity derivative liabilities(b):														6
Futures		(1,106	)		(1,106	)		(2,120	)		(2,120	)
Options		—			—			(603	)		(603	)
Foreign currency derivative liabilities(c):														6
Forwards		(266	)		(266	)		—			—
Long-term debt and other borrowing
arrangements(d)		(1,166,746	)		(1,177,769	)		(1,423,612	)		(1,421,517	)		9
Note payable to JBS USA		—			—			(50,000	)		(50,077	)		9, 13

(a)	Commodity derivative assets are included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(b)	Commodity derivative liabilities are included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(c)	Foreign currency derivative liabilities are included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(d)	The fair values of the Company’s long-term debt and other borrowing arrangements were estimated by calculating the net present value of future payments for each debt obligation or borrowing by: (i) using a risk-free rate applicable for an instrument with a life similar to the remaining life of each debt obligation or borrowing plus the current estimated credit risk spread for the Company or (ii) using the quoted market price at September 23, 2012 or December 25, 2011, as applicable.

Schedule of Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]

The following items were measured at fair value on a recurring basis at September 23, 2012:

	Level 1		Level 2	Level 3	Total
	(In thousands)
Commodity derivative assets:
Futures	7,689		—	—	7,689
Commodity derivative liabilities:
Futures	(1,106	)	—	—	(1,106	)
Foreign currency derivative liabilities:
Forwards	(266	)	—	—	(266	)

Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

The following table presents activity for the thirty-nine weeks ended September 23, 2012 and September 25, 2011, respectively, related to the Company’s investment in a fund-of-funds asset that was measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs:

	Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended
	September 23, 2012			September 25, 2011
	(In thousands)
Balance at beginning of period	$	59		$	1,190
Included in other comprehensive income		—			55
Sale of securities		(59	)		—
Balance at end of period	$	—		$	1,245