SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Apr. 29, 2012

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]

Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block]

Inventories consist of the following:

	April 29, 2012		May 1, 2011
	(in millions)
Livestock	$	962.8	$	963.9
Fresh and packaged meats	912.1		854.1
Grains	90.4		89.8
Manufacturing supplies	59.1		60.0
Other	48.0		52.1
Total inventories	$	2,072.4	$	2,019.9

Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Property, plant and equipment, net, consists of the following:

	Useful Life	April 29, 2012			May 1, 2011
	(in Years)	(in millions)
Land and improvements	0-20	$	268.9		$	271.7
Buildings and improvements	20-40	1,690.6			1,717.8
Machinery and equipment	5-25	1,780.6			1,714.0
Breeding stock	2	182.1			159.3
Computer hardware and software	3-5	148.4			137.1
Other	3-10	89.1			53.2
Construction in progress		110.2			133.6
		4,269.9			4,186.7
Accumulated depreciation		(1,992.7		)	(1,877.6		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$	2,277.2		$	2,309.1

Schedule of Finite-Lived and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Table Text Block]

Intangible assets consist of the following:

	Useful Life	April 29, 2012			May 1, 2011
	(in Years)	(in millions)
Amortized intangible assets:
Customer relations assets	15-16	$	13.3		$	13.3
Patents, rights and leasehold interests	5-25	11.8			11.8
Contractual relationships	22	33.1			33.1
Accumulated amortization		(22.6		)	(19.6		)
Amortized intangible assets, net		35.6			38.6
Unamortized intangible assets:
Trademarks	Indefinite	340.1			341.9
Permits	Indefinite	6.1			6.1
Intangible assets, net		$	381.8		$	386.6