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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-10-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001450640</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Webster Jeffrey</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY</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>Group VP Renewable Products</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1148</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12160</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Employee Stock Purchase Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>108</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>65805</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-10-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5535.0554</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5535.0554</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5535.0554</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 1,148 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased for the Reporting Person's account under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such aquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents 108 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock aquired by the Reporting Person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Tyson Foods, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan since the last Statement of Changes to Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such aquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This award will vest or expire two business days following the Issuer's 2013 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies. The number of performance shares that can vest under the awards range from 50% to 150% of a target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jeffrey Webster</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2010-10-04
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
TSN
0001450640
Webster Jeffrey
2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
Group VP Renewable Products
Class A Common Stock
2010-09-30
5
J
0
E
1148
0
A
12160
I
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock
2010-09-30
5
J
0
E
108
0
A
65805
D
Performance Shares
2010-10-04
5
A
0
E
5535.0554
0
A
Class A Common Stock
5535.0554
5535.0554
D
Represents 1,148 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased for the Reporting Person's account under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such aquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.
Represents 108 shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock aquired by the Reporting Person pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Tyson Foods, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan since the last Statement of Changes to Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such aquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
This award will vest or expire two business days following the Issuer's 2013 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies. The number of performance shares that can vest under the awards range from 50% to 150% of a target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.
Jeffrey Webster
2010-10-05