LEASE OBLIGATIONS, COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES Narrative (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Apr. 29, 2012	May 01, 2011	May 02, 2010
Operating Leases, Rent Expense	$ 46.5	$ 42.3	$ 49.3
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due	27.6
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Present Value of Net Minimum Payments	27.1
Capital Lease Obligations, Noncurrent	26.1	27.1
Capital Lease Obligations, Current	1.0	0.5
Investments	522.6	582.5	625.0
Estimated Remaining Capital Expenditure on Approved Projects	101.8
Equity Method Investee [Member]
Investments	2.2	2.3
Cold Storage Facility [Member] \| Equity Method Investee [Member]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense	14.0	18.2	19.7
Forward Grain Contracts [Member]
Purchase Obligation, Due in Next Twelve Months	228.7
Agroindustrial del Noroeste [Member] \| Financial Guarantee [Member]
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, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	3.5
Smithfield Beef [Member] \| Property Lease Guarantee [Member]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	$ 11.3

The estimated future capital expenditures on projects approved as of the balance sheet date.

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Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal, through the balance sheet date and due to be paid within one year (or one operating cycle, if longer) of the balance sheet date.

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Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal, through the balance sheet date and due to be paid more than one year (or one operating cycle, if longer) after the balance sheet date.

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Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases.

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Present value of minimum lease payments for capital leases net of executory costs, including amounts paid by the lessee to the lessor for insurance, maintenance and taxes.

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- Definition

This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

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- Definition

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

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Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

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- Definition

Rental expense incurred for leased assets including furniture and equipment which has not been recognized in costs and expenses applicable to sales and revenues; for example, cost of goods sold or other operating costs and expenses.

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- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Includes, but not limited to, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, long-term purchase commitments, and short-term purchase commitments.

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