<?xml version="1.0"?>
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    <documentType>4</documentType>
	<periodOfReport>2003-09-29</periodOfReport>
	<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100493</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TYSON FOODS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TSN</issuerTradingSymbol>
	</issuer>
	<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <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>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
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			<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
			<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
			<isOther>0</isOther>
			<officerTitle>Chairman &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
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					<value>By ESPP</value>
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			<securityTitle>
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				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>I</value>
				</directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<natureOfOwnership>
					<value>By Son</value>
				</natureOfOwnership>
			</ownershipNature>
		</nonDerivativeHolding>
	</nonDerivativeTable>
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			<securityTitle>
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			<transactionDate>
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					<value>176250</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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			<expirationDate>
				<value>2003-04-26</value>
			</expirationDate>
			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>18750</value>
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			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>18750</value>
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			<ownershipNature>
				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
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					<value/>
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		<derivativeHolding>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
			</securityTitle>
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			<exerciseDate>
				<value>1998-06-01</value>
				<footnoteId id="F4"/>
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			<expirationDate>
				<value>2005-04-26</value>
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			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
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					<value>3750</value>
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			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>3750</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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			<ownershipNature>
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					<value/>
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		</derivativeHolding>
		<derivativeHolding>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
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			<exerciseDate>
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			<expirationDate>
				<value>2005-11-19</value>
			</expirationDate>
			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
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				</underlyingSecurityShares>
			</underlyingSecurity>
			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>11250</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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			<ownershipNature>
				<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>
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			<exerciseDate>
				<footnoteId id="F6"/>
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			<expirationDate>
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			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
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				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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			<securityTitle>
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				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
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					<value/>
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		<derivativeHolding>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
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				<value>9.32</value>
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			<expirationDate>
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				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>200000</value>
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			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>200000</value>
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			<ownershipNature>
				<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>9.64</value>
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				<value>2004-10-10</value>
				<footnoteId id="F9"/>
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			<expirationDate>
				<value>2012-10-10</value>
			</expirationDate>
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				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>200000</value>
				</underlyingSecurityShares>
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				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>200000</value>
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			<ownershipNature>
				<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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				<value>11.23</value>
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			<exerciseDate>
				<value>2005-07-29</value>
				<footnoteId id="F10"/>
			</exerciseDate>
			<expirationDate>
				<value>2013-07-29</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>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
			</securityTitle>
			<conversionOrExercisePrice>
				<value>13.33</value>
			</conversionOrExercisePrice>
			<exerciseDate>
				<value>2003-09-19</value>
				<footnoteId id="F11"/>
			</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>Non-Qualifited Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
			</securityTitle>
			<conversionOrExercisePrice>
				<value>11.50</value>
			</conversionOrExercisePrice>
			<exerciseDate>
				<value>2003-03-29</value>
				<footnoteId id="F12"/>
			</exerciseDate>
			<expirationDate>
				<value>2011-03-29</value>
			</expirationDate>
			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Class A Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>200000</value>
				</underlyingSecurityShares>
			</underlyingSecurity>
			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>200000</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
			</postTransactionAmounts>
			<ownershipNature>
				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
				</directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<natureOfOwnership>
					<value/>
				</natureOfOwnership>
			</ownershipNature>
		</derivativeHolding>
	</derivativeTable>
	<footnotes>
		<footnote id="F1">Each Performance Share that vests entitles holder to 1 share of Class A Common Stock.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F2">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>
		<footnote id="F3">The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after the date of grant 4/26/93.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F4">The Stock Options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 6/1/95.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F5">The stock options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 11/20/95.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F6">The stock options become exercisable in five equal annual installments, commencing three years after date of grant 3/12/96.</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>
		<footnote id="F8">The stock option vests at 40% on 10-15-03 and 20% each year thereafter.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F9">The Stock Option vests at 40% on 10-10-04 and 20% each year thereafter for 3 years.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F10">The Stock Option vests at 40% on 7-29-05 and 20% each year thereafter for 3 years.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F11">This Stock Option vests at  40% on 9-19-05 and 20% each year thereafter for three (3) years.</footnote>
		<footnote id="F12">The Stock Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments, commencing two years after the date of grant, 03-29-01.</footnote>
	</footnotes>
	<remarks>
	</remarks>
	<ownerSignature>
		<signatureName>/s/ Tyson, John H.</signatureName>
		<signatureDate>2003-10-01</signatureDate>
	</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-09-29
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
2349676
D
Class A Common Stock
1000
I
By Daughter
Class A Common Stock
72047
I
By ESPP
Class A Common Stock
1000
I
By Son
Performance Shares
0.00
2003-09-29
4
A
0
176250
0
A
Class A Common Stock
176250
176250
D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)
14.42
2003-04-26
Class A Common Stock
18750
18750
D
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)
15.17
2005-11-19
Class A Common Stock
11250
11250
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)
17.92
2006-10-03
Class A Common Stock
37500
37500
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)
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
Non-Qualifited Stock Option (right to buy)
11.50
2003-03-29
2011-03-29
Class A Common Stock
200000
200000
D
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.
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 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.
/s/ Tyson, John H.
2003-10-01