LEASE OBLIGATIONS, COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES Lease Obligations, Commitments and Guarantees (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Apr. 29, 2012

LEASE OBLIGATIONS, COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES [Abstract]

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]

Future rental commitments under non-cancelable operating leases as of April 29, 2012 are as follows: 

Fiscal Year	(in millions)
2013	$	41.5
2014	29.4
2015	22.7
2016	17.6
2017	14.2
Thereafter	43.6
Total	$	169.0

Schedule of Future Hog Procurement and Contract Hog Growers Obligations [Table Text Block]

We have purchase commitments with certain livestock producers that obligate us to purchase all the livestock that these producers deliver. Other arrangements obligate us to purchase a fixed amount of livestock. We also use independent farmers and their facilities to raise hogs produced from our breeding stock in exchange for a performance-based service fee payable upon delivery. We estimate the future obligations under these commitments based on available commodity livestock futures prices and internal projections about future hog prices, expected quantities delivered and anticipated performance. Our estimated future obligations under these commitments are as follows:

Fiscal Year	(in millions)
2013	$	1,814.7
2014	1,194.0
2015	1,126.2
2016	892.6
2017	878.8