<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-10-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100493</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TYSON FOODS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>(TSN)</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001304931</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Gonzalez Pita J Alberto</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2210 W. OAKLAWN</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPRINGDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72762</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Exec VP &amp; General Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-10-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20776</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20775</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20776</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each Performance Share that vests entitles holder to 1 share of Class A Common Stock.  The number expressed above is the maximum number of shares that can vest under the grant.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The award vests two business days following the Company's public announcement of its earnings for the 2008 fiscal year.  One half of the award is based upon a comparison of the market price of Tyson's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies and the other half by the achievement by the Company of certain cash flow measures.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: R. Read Hudson, by power of attorney for</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-10-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2005-10-03
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
(TSN)
0001304931
Gonzalez Pita J Alberto
2210 W. OAKLAWN
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
Exec VP & General Counsel
Performance Shares
2005-10-03
4
A
0
20776
0
A
Class A Common Stock
20775
20776
D
Each Performance Share that vests entitles holder to 1 share of Class A Common Stock.  The number expressed above is the maximum number of shares that can vest under the grant.
The award vests two business days following the Company's public announcement of its earnings for the 2008 fiscal year.  One half of the award is based upon a comparison of the market price of Tyson's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies and the other half by the achievement by the Company of certain cash flow measures.
By: R. Read Hudson, by power of attorney for
2005-10-05