RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 30, 2014

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS [Abstract]

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

15. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Pilgrim's has been and, in some cases, continues to be a party to certain transactions with affiliated persons and our current and former directors and executive officers. Company management has analyzed the terms of all contracts executed with related parties and believes that they are substantially similar to, and contain terms no less favorable to us than, those obtainable from unaffiliated parties.

On December 28, 2009, JBS USA became the holder of the majority of the common stock of the Company. As of March 30, 2014, JBS USA beneficially owned 75.5% of the total outstanding shares of our common stock.

Transactions with JBS USA and JBS USA, LLC (a JBS USA subsidiary) recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income are summarized below:

	Thirteen Weeks Ended
	March 30, 2014	March 31, 2013
	(In thousands)
JBS USA:
Letter of credit fees(a)	335	592
JBS USA, LLC:
Purchases from JBS USA, LLC(b)	24,989	14,834
Expenditures paid by JBS USA, LLC on behalf of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation(c)	12,458	12,919
Sales to JBS USA, LLC(b)	15,355	16,119
Expenditures paid by Pilgrim's Pride Corporation on behalf of JBS USA, LLC(c)	533	458

(a)	Beginning on October 26, 2011, JBS USA arranged for letters of credit to be issued on its account in the amount of $56.5 million to an insurance company on our behalf in order to allow that insurance company to return cash it held as collateral against potential liability claims. We agreed to reimburse JBS USA up to $56.5 million for potential draws upon these letters of credit. We reimburse JBS USA for the letter of credit costs we would have otherwise incurred under our credit facilities. During 2014, we have paid JBS USA $0.3 million for letter of credit costs. As of March 30, 2014, the Company has accrued an obligation of $0.1 million to reimburse JBS USA for letter of credit costs incurred on its behalf.
(b)	We routinely execute transactions to both purchase products from JBS USA, LLC and sell products to them. As of March 30, 2014 and December 29, 2013, the outstanding payable to JBS USA, LLC was $6.1 million and $3.9 million, respectively. As of March 30, 2014 and December 29, 2013, the outstanding receivable from JBS USA, LLC was $3.2 million and $2.4 million, respectively. As of March 30, 2014, approximately $0.6 million of goods from JBS USA, LLC were in transit and not reflected on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(c)	On January 19, 2010, the Company entered into an agreement with JBS USA, LLC in order to allocate costs associated with JBS USA, LLC's procurement of SAP licenses and maintenance services for its combined companies. Under this agreement, the fees associated with procuring SAP licenses and maintenance services are allocated between the Company and JBS USA, LLC in proportion to the percentage of licenses used by each company. The agreement expires on the date of expiration, or earlier termination, of the underlying SAP license agreement. On May 5, 2010, the Company also entered into an agreement with JBS USA, LLC in order to allocate the costs of supporting the business operations by one consolidated corporate team, which have historically been supported by their respective corporate teams. Expenditures paid by JBS USA, LLC on behalf of the Company will be reimbursed by the Company and expenditures paid by the Company on behalf of JBS USA, LLC will be reimbursed by JBS USA, LLC. This agreement expires on May 5, 2015.