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

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-03-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001019044</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TOLLETT LELAND E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2210 W. OAKLAWN</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPRINGDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72762</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2862227</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6612</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By ESPP</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>120567</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>108000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Tollett Farms</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Contract to Sell</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-03-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2004-03-19</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-03-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-03-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1000000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2003-04-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>18750</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>18750</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>18</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2006-10-03</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>300000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>300000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 5,281 shares purchased from 11-01-02 through 02-29-04 for the reporting person's account under the Tyson Foods, Inc Employee Stock Purchase Plan which transactions are exempt under Section 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reporting person entered into a pre-paid variable equity forward contract (the &quot;Contract&quot;) relating to 1,000,000 shares of Tyson Foods, Inc. Class A Common Stock (the &quot;Class A Stock&quot;) which expires on March 19, 2007. The transaction was effective March 19, 2004.  As a result of the transaction, the reporting person received net proceeds of $14,106,555.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Under the terms of the Contract, the reporting person has agreed to deliver a number of shares of Class A Stock on the expiration date of the Contract pursuant to the following formula:  (i) if the price of Class A Stock on the date of expiration or termination (the &quot;Final Price&quot;) is less than a specified floor price (the &quot;Floor Price&quot;), then 1,000,000 shares; (ii) if the Final Price is less than or equal to a specified maximum price (the &quot;Cap Price&quot;), but great than or equal to the Floor Price, then a number of shares equal to 1,000,000 times the Floor Price divided by the Final Price; (iii) if the Final Price is greater than the Cap Price, then a number of shares equal to 1,000,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the Floor Price and the difference between the Final Price and the Cap Price, and the denominator of which is the Final Price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The Contract has a Floor Price equal to $17.13/share and a Cap Price equal to $23.98/share, all based on an average market price of the Class A Stock of $17.13/share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The reporting person has pledged 1,000,000 shares of Class A Stock to secure his obligations under the Contract.  Under the Contract, in lieu of the delivery of the 1,000,000 shares of Class A Stock the reporting person may, at his option, settle the Contract by delivery of cash.  However, in certain events the reporting person is obligated to settle the Contract by delivery of cash.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after the date of grant 4/26/93.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments commencing three years after the date of grant 10/3/96.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Tollett, Leland E.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-03-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "tol131.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 12106}]
X0201
4
2004-03-19
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
TSN
0001019044
TOLLETT LELAND E
2210 W. OAKLAWN
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
1
0
0
0
Class A Common Stock
2862227
D
Class A Common Stock
6612
I
By ESPP
Class A Common Stock
120567
I
By Spouse
Class A Common Stock
108000
I
By Tollett Farms
Contract to Sell
0
2004-03-19
2004-03-19
4
J
0
1
A
2007-03-19
2007-03-19
Class A Common Stock
1000000
1
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
14
2003-04-26
Class A Common Stock
18750
18750
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
18
2006-10-03
Class A Common Stock
300000
300000
D
Includes 5,281 shares purchased from 11-01-02 through 02-29-04 for the reporting person's account under the Tyson Foods, Inc Employee Stock Purchase Plan which transactions are exempt under Section 16b-3.
The reporting person entered into a pre-paid variable equity forward contract (the "Contract") relating to 1,000,000 shares of Tyson Foods, Inc. Class A Common Stock (the "Class A Stock") which expires on March 19, 2007. The transaction was effective March 19, 2004.  As a result of the transaction, the reporting person received net proceeds of $14,106,555.
Under the terms of the Contract, the reporting person has agreed to deliver a number of shares of Class A Stock on the expiration date of the Contract pursuant to the following formula:  (i) if the price of Class A Stock on the date of expiration or termination (the "Final Price") is less than a specified floor price (the "Floor Price"), then 1,000,000 shares; (ii) if the Final Price is less than or equal to a specified maximum price (the "Cap Price"), but great than or equal to the Floor Price, then a number of shares equal to 1,000,000 times the Floor Price divided by the Final Price; (iii) if the Final Price is greater than the Cap Price, then a number of shares equal to 1,000,000 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the Floor Price and the difference between the Final Price and the Cap Price, and the denominator of which is the Final Price.
The Contract has a Floor Price equal to $17.13/share and a Cap Price equal to $23.98/share, all based on an average market price of the Class A Stock of $17.13/share.
The reporting person has pledged 1,000,000 shares of Class A Stock to secure his obligations under the Contract.  Under the Contract, in lieu of the delivery of the 1,000,000 shares of Class A Stock the reporting person may, at his option, settle the Contract by delivery of cash.  However, in certain events the reporting person is obligated to settle the Contract by delivery of cash.
The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after the date of grant 4/26/93.
The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments commencing three years after the date of grant 10/3/96.
/s/ Tollett, Leland E.
2004-03-22