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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-11-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001302845</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hart Craig</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>Sr VP, Ch. Acct Officer &amp; Cont</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>233</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>37588</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-10-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1320</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6126</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By ESPP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.06</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-11-16</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-11-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8000.0000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8000.0000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 233 shares of the Issuer's  restricted Class A Common Stock received by the reporting person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Issuer's 2000 Stock Incentive Plan through September 30, 2007. Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents 1,320 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased from February 1,2007 through October 31, 2007 for the reporting person's account in the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Stock Options vest at 40% on November 16, 2009 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: R. Read Hudson, by power of attorney for</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-11-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2007-11-16
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
(TSN)
0001302845
Hart Craig
2210 W. OAKLAWN
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
Sr VP, Ch. Acct Officer & Cont
Class A Common Stock
2007-09-30
5
J
0
233
0
A
37588
D
Class A Common Stock
2007-10-31
5
J
0
1320
0
A
6126
I
By ESPP
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
15.06
2007-11-16
4
A
0
8000
0
A
2009-11-16
2017-11-16
Class A Common Stock
8000.0000
8000.0000
D
Represents 233 shares of the Issuer's  restricted Class A Common Stock received by the reporting person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Issuer's 2000 Stock Incentive Plan through September 30, 2007. Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
Represents 1,320 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased from February 1,2007 through October 31, 2007 for the reporting person's account in the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-3.
Stock Options vest at 40% on November 16, 2009 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.
By: R. Read Hudson, by power of attorney for
2007-11-20