SUPPLEMENTAL GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 24, 2012
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	$ 310,927	$ 80,322
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(48,969)	(37,561)
Purchases of investment securities		(162)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities		58
Proceeds from property disposals	2,883	12,461
Cash used in investing activities	(46,086)	(25,204)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		(50,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt	505,600	391,300
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations	(758,251)	(584,904)
Proceeds from sale of common stock		198,282
Other financing activities
Cash used in financing activities	(252,651)	(45,322)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(2,139)	(2,178)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	10,051	7,618
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	68,180	41,609
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	78,231	49,227
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	(182)	224
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment
Purchases of investment securities
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities
Proceeds from property disposals
Cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.
Proceeds from long-term debt
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations
Proceeds from sale of common stock
Other financing activities	182	(224)
Cash used in financing activities	182	(224)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	299,035	77,717
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(40,170)	(32,535)
Purchases of investment securities		(73)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities		58
Proceeds from property disposals	1,995	11,640
Cash used in investing activities	(38,175)	(20,910)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.		(50,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt	505,600	391,300
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations	(758,251)	(584,904)
Proceeds from sale of common stock		198,282
Other financing activities
Cash used in financing activities	(252,651)	(45,322)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	8,209	11,485
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	27,657	13,733
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	35,866	25,218
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	2,747	620
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(2,640)	(642)
Purchases of investment securities
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities
Proceeds from property disposals	5
Cash used in investing activities	(2,635)	(642)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.
Proceeds from long-term debt
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations
Proceeds from sale of common stock
Other financing activities
Cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	112	(22)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		30
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	112	8
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows provided (used in) by operating activities	9,327	1,761
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	(6,159)	(4,384)
Purchases of investment securities		(89)
Proceeds from sale or maturity of investment securities
Proceeds from property disposals	883	821
Cash used in investing activities	(5,276)	(3,652)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of note payable to JBS USA Holdings, Inc.
Proceeds from long-term debt
Payments on revolving line of credit, long-term borrowings and capital lease obligations
Proceeds from sale of common stock
Other financing activities	(182)	224
Cash used in financing activities	(182)	224
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(2,139)	(2,178)
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	1,730	(3,845)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	40,523	27,846
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 42,253	$ 24,001