<?xml version="1.0"?>
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	<periodOfReport>2003-12-01</periodOfReport>
	<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100493</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TYSON FOODS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TSN</issuerTradingSymbol>
	</issuer>
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            <rptOwnerCik>0001019032</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TYSON JOHN H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2210 W. OAKLAWN</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPRINGDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72762</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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					<value>3750</value>
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				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
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				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
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					<value>37500</value>
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					<value>D</value>
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					<value/>
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		<derivativeHolding>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Non-Qualifited Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
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				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
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					<value>200000</value>
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				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>200000</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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					<value>D</value>
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					<value/>
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			<securityTitle>
				<value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
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				<value>2012-10-10</value>
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					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
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					<value>200000</value>
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				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>200000</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
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					<value/>
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		<derivativeHolding>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
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			<conversionOrExercisePrice>
				<value>11.23</value>
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			<exerciseDate>
				<value>2005-07-29</value>
				<footnoteId id="F9"/>
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			<expirationDate>
				<value>2013-07-29</value>
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			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>500000</value>
				</underlyingSecurityShares>
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			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>500000</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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			<ownershipNature>
				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
				</directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<natureOfOwnership>
					<value/>
				</natureOfOwnership>
			</ownershipNature>
		</derivativeHolding>
		<derivativeHolding>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
			</securityTitle>
			<conversionOrExercisePrice>
				<value>13.33</value>
			</conversionOrExercisePrice>
			<exerciseDate>
				<value>2003-09-19</value>
				<footnoteId id="F10"/>
			</exerciseDate>
			<expirationDate>
				<value>2013-09-19</value>
			</expirationDate>
			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>500000</value>
				</underlyingSecurityShares>
			</underlyingSecurity>
			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>500000</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
			</postTransactionAmounts>
			<ownershipNature>
				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
				</directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<natureOfOwnership>
					<value/>
				</natureOfOwnership>
			</ownershipNature>
		</derivativeHolding>
		<derivativeHolding>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Performance Shares</value>
			</securityTitle>
			<conversionOrExercisePrice>
				<value>0.00</value>
				<footnoteId id="F12"/>
			</conversionOrExercisePrice>
			<exerciseDate>
				<footnoteId id="F13"/>
			</exerciseDate>
			<expirationDate>
				<footnoteId id="F13"/>
			</expirationDate>
			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>176250</value>
				</underlyingSecurityShares>
			</underlyingSecurity>
			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>176250</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
			</postTransactionAmounts>
			<ownershipNature>
				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
				</directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<natureOfOwnership>
					<value/>
				</natureOfOwnership>
			</ownershipNature>
		</derivativeHolding>
	</derivativeTable>
	<footnotes>
		<footnote id="F1">The number of restricted shares has increased by 940. shares since the last filed Form 4 due to the reinvestment of dividends on the restricted shares, which dividend reinvestment is a non-reportable event???
</footnote>
		<footnote id="F2">Includes 1,858 Shares purchased  from 9-01-03 thru 10-31-03, for the reporting person's account under the Tyson Foods, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan which transactions are exempt under Section 16(b)(3).</footnote>
		<footnote id="F3">The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 6/1/95.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F4">The stock options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 11/20/95.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F5">The stock options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 3/12/96.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F6">The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments commencing three years after the date of grant 10/3/96.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F7">The stock option vests at 40% on 10-15-03 and 20% each year thereafter.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F8">The Stock Option vests at 40% on 10-10-04 and 20% each year thereafter for 3 years.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F9">The Stock Option vests at 40% on 7-29-05 and 20% each year thereafter for 3 years.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F10">This Stock Option vests at  40% on 9-19-05 and 20% each year thereafter for three (3) years.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F11">The Stock Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments, commencing two years after the date of grant, 03-29-01.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F12">Each Performance Share that vests entitles holder to 1 share of Class A Common Stock.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F13">The award vests two business days following the Company's public announcement of its earnings for the 2006 fiscal year 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 achievement by the Company of certain cash flow measures.</footnote>
	</footnotes>
	<remarks>
	</remarks>
	<ownerSignature>
		<signatureName>/s/ Tyson, John H.</signatureName>
		<signatureDate>2003-12-08</signatureDate>
	</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-12-01
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
TSN
0001019032
TYSON JOHN H
2210 W. OAKLAWN
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
1
1
0
0
Chairman & CEO
Class A Common Stock
2003-12-01
4
J
0
9589
0
A
2359265
D
Class A Common Stock
2003-12-01
4
F
0
3764
0
D
2355501
D
Class A Common Stock
2003-12-01
4
J
0
1858
0
A
73905
I
By ESPP
Class A Common Stock
1000
I
By Daughter
Class A Common Stock
1000
I
By Son
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
14.50
1998-06-01
2005-04-26
Class A Common Stock
3750
3750
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
9.32
2003-10-15
2011-10-15
Class A Common Stock
200000
200000
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
14.58
2006-03-10
Class A Common Stock
22500
22500
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
15.17
2005-11-19
Class A Common Stock
11250
11250
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
17.92
2006-10-03
Class A Common Stock
37500
37500
D
Non-Qualifited Stock Option (right to buy)
11.50
2003-03-29
2011-03-29
Class A Common Stock
200000
200000
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
9.64
2004-10-10
2012-10-10
Class A Common Stock
200000
200000
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
11.23
2005-07-29
2013-07-29
Class A Common Stock
500000
500000
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
13.33
2003-09-19
2013-09-19
Class A Common Stock
500000
500000
D
Performance Shares
0.00
Class A Common Stock
176250
176250
D
The number of restricted shares has increased by 940. shares since the last filed Form 4 due to the reinvestment of dividends on the restricted shares, which dividend reinvestment is a non-reportable event???
Includes 1,858 Shares purchased  from 9-01-03 thru 10-31-03, for the reporting person's account under the Tyson Foods, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan which transactions are exempt under Section 16(b)(3).
The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 6/1/95.
The stock options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 11/20/95.
The stock options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 3/12/96.
The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments commencing three years after the date of grant 10/3/96.
The stock option vests at 40% on 10-15-03 and 20% each year thereafter.
The Stock Option vests at 40% on 10-10-04 and 20% each year thereafter for 3 years.
The Stock Option vests at 40% on 7-29-05 and 20% each year thereafter for 3 years.
This Stock Option vests at  40% on 9-19-05 and 20% each year thereafter for three (3) years.
The Stock Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments, commencing two years after the date of grant, 03-29-01.
Each Performance Share that vests entitles holder to 1 share of Class A Common Stock.
The award vests two business days following the Company's public announcement of its earnings for the 2006 fiscal year 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 achievement by the Company of certain cash flow measures.
/s/ Tyson, John H.
2003-12-08