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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001399358</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Greubel Richard A Jr</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>Group VP &amp; Intl. Pres</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>226</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>56625</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>21008.4034</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>21008.4034</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21008.4034</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 226 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 15, 2007.  Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The award will vest or expire two business days following the Issuer's public announcement of its earnings for the 2010 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies and the achievement by the Issuer of certain goals related to return on invested capital.  The number of performance shares that can vest under the awards range from 50% to 150% of the target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting leval of  150%.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Greubel, Jr., Richard A</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2007-10-01
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
(TSN)
0001399358
Greubel Richard A Jr
2210 W. OAKLAWN
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
Group VP & Intl. Pres
Class A Common Stock
2007-09-15
5
J
0
226
0
A
56625
D
Performance Shares
2007-10-01
4
A
0
21008.4034
0
A
Class A Common Stock
21008.4034
21008.4034
D
Represents 226 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 15, 2007.  Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
The award will vest or expire two business days following the Issuer's public announcement of its earnings for the 2010 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies and the achievement by the Issuer of certain goals related to return on invested capital.  The number of performance shares that can vest under the awards range from 50% to 150% of the target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting leval of  150%.
/s/ Greubel, Jr., Richard A
2007-10-03