FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 30, 2012

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

Schedule Of Carrying Values And Estimated Fair Values Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]

The asset (liability) amounts recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheet (carrying amounts) and the estimated fair values of financial instruments consisted of the following:

	2012						2011
	Carrying			Fair			Carrying			Fair			Note
	Amount			Value			Amount			Value			Reference
	(In thousands)
Short-term investments in available-
for-sale securities	$	—		$	—		$	157		$	157		7
Commodity derivative assets(a):													8
Futures		1,821			1,821			2,870			2,870
Long-term investments in available-
for-sale securities		—			—			497			497		7
Commodity derivative liabilities(b):													8
Futures		(1,530	)		(1,530	)		(2,120	)		(2,120	)
Options		—			—			(603	)		(603	)
Long-term debt and other borrowing
arrangements(c)		(1,164,756	)		(1,208,730	)		(1,423,612	)		(1,421,517	)	12
Note payable to JBS USA Holdings		—			—			(50,000	)		(50,077	)	12, 16

(a)	Commodity derivative assets are included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(b)	Commodity derivative liabilities are included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(c)	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 December 30, 2012 or December 25, 2011, as applicable.

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

The following items are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 30, 2012:

	Level 1		Level 2	Level 3	Total
	(In thousands)
Commodity derivative assets:
Futures	1,821		—	—	1,821
Commodity derivative liabilities:
Futures	(1,530	)	—	—	(1,530	)

The following items are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 25, 2011:

	Level 1			Level 2			Level 3		Total
	(In thousands)
Short-term investments in available-for-sale securities	$	—		$	157		$	—	$	157
Commodity derivative assets:
Futures		2,870			—			—		2,870
Long-term investments in available-for-sale securities		—			438			59		497
Commodity derivative liabilities:
Futures		(2,120	)		—			—		(2,120	)
Options		—			(603	)		—		(603	)

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

The following table presents activity for each reporting period 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:

	2012			2011			2010
	(In thousands)
Balance at beginning of year	$	59		$	1,190		$	1,116
Included in other comprehensive income		—			(19	)		74
Sale of securities		(59	)		(1,112	)		—
Balance at end of year	$	—		$	59		$	1,190