GUARANTEES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jan. 29, 2012
Agroindustrial del Noroeste [Member] \| Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 87.0
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	58.0
Granjas Carroll de Mexico [Member] \| Guarantee Type, Other [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	3.5
Smithfield Beef [Member] \| Property Lease Guarantee [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	$ 11.6

The current carrying amount of the liability for the freestanding or embedded guarantor's obligations under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 9

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Number 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant