SEC FORM 4

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Smith Donald

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY

(Street)

SPRINGDALE

72762

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
TYSON FOODS INC [ TSN ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	Pres. and Chief Exec. Officer

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/16/2009

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Class A Common Stock	12/15/2009		J⁽¹⁾	V	166	A	$0	58,363	D
Class A Common Stock	12/16/2009		D⁽²⁾		23,487	D	$0	34,876	D
Class A Common Stock	12/16/2009		F⁽³⁾		979	D	$0	33,897	D
Class A Common Stock	12/16/2009		A⁽⁴⁾		118,670	A	$0	152,567	D
Class A Common Stock	11/30/2009		J⁽⁵⁾	V	411	A	$0	38,474	I	Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock								904	I	Custodian for child
Class A Common Stock								4,527	I	By Spouse Trust

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Explanation of Responses:

1. Represents 166 shares of the Issuer's restricted Class A Common Stock acquired 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 in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisition is exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.

2. On December 16, 2009, the Issuer entered into a new employment agreement (the "Agreement) with the Reporting Person. In connection with the Agreement, 2,925 previously reported shares of restricted Class A Common Stock vested on December 16, 2009 and 23,487 shares were cancelled.

3. On December 16, 2009, pursuant to an election previously made by the Reporting Person, 979 shares were sold by the Reporting Person to the Issuer to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the vesting described above in note 2.

4. Award of restricted Class A Common Stock pursuant to Tyson Foods, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan to vest on December 16, 2012.

5. Represents 411 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.

	/s/ R. Read Hudson by Power of Attorney for Donald Smith	12/18/2009
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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