<?xml version="1.0"?>
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    <periodOfReport>2011-10-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
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            <rptOwnerCik>0001050561</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VAN BEBBER DAVID L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPRINGDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72762</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
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            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive VP &amp; Gen Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </transactionShares>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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            </transactionTimeliness>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>236</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>114625</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <securityTitle>
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            </transactionDate>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-10-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
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                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12961</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12961</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
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                    <value>12961</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2011-10-04</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17730</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-10-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>17730</value>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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                    <value>0</value>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 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 acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person transferred shares from the Employee Stock Purchase Plan account into the Reporting Person's personal stock account thereby changing the ownership of the stock from Indirect to Direct.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares given as a Charitable Donation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock received by the Reporting Person on March 15, 2011, June 15, 2011, September 15, 2011 pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under Issuer's stock plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The award will vest on or expire two business days following the Issuers 2014 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of the Issuers 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 target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">On September 29, 2008, the Reporting Person received a grant of performance shares which vested on or expired on October 4, 2011. The performance shares were previously reported as derivative securities at the 150% level. On October 4, 2011, 17,730 share vested (150% level) and are reported herein as acquired non-derivative securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">On October 4, 2011, 17,730 shares of performance Class A Common Stock vested. The award of those performance shares to the Reporting Person has previously been reported (see Footnote #6). Pursuant to an election made by the Reporting Person, 5,931 shares were sold by the Reporting Person to the Issuer on October 4, 2011, to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the vesting.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David L. Van Bebber</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-10-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0304
4
2011-10-03
0
0000100493
TYSON FOODS INC
TSN
0001050561
VAN BEBBER DAVID L
2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
SPRINGDALE
AR
72762
0
1
0
0
Executive VP & Gen Counsel
Class A Common Stock
2011-07-01
5
J
0
E
1055
0
A
4282
I
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock
2011-07-01
5
J
0
E
3971
0
D
311
I
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock
2011-09-29
5
J
0
E
859
0
A
1170
I
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock
2011-07-01
5
J
0
E
3971
0
A
115389
D
Class A Common Stock
2011-08-16
4
G
0
1000
0
D
114389
D
Class A Common Stock
2011-09-15
5
J
0
E
236
0
A
114625
D
Class A Common Stock
2011-10-04
4
M
0
17730
A
132355
D
Class A Common Stock
2011-10-04
4
S
0
5931
17.1
D
126424
D
Performance Shares
2011-10-03
4
A
0
12961
0
A
Class A Common Stock
12961
12961
D
Performance Shares
2008-09-28
2011-10-04
4
M
0
17730
D
2011-10-14
Class A Common Stock
17730
0
D
Represents 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 acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.
The Reporting Person transferred shares from the Employee Stock Purchase Plan account into the Reporting Person's personal stock account thereby changing the ownership of the stock from Indirect to Direct.
Shares given as a Charitable Donation.
Represents shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock received by the Reporting Person on March 15, 2011, June 15, 2011, September 15, 2011 pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under Issuer's stock plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
The award will vest on or expire two business days following the Issuers 2014 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of the Issuers 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 target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.
On September 29, 2008, the Reporting Person received a grant of performance shares which vested on or expired on October 4, 2011. The performance shares were previously reported as derivative securities at the 150% level. On October 4, 2011, 17,730 share vested (150% level) and are reported herein as acquired non-derivative securities.
On October 4, 2011, 17,730 shares of performance Class A Common Stock vested. The award of those performance shares to the Reporting Person has previously been reported (see Footnote #6). Pursuant to an election made by the Reporting Person, 5,931 shares were sold by the Reporting Person to the Issuer on October 4, 2011, to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the vesting.
David L. Van Bebber
2011-10-05