Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Smith Donald
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/04/2008
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
TYSON FOODS INC [(TSN)]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
2210 W. OAKLAWN
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Group VP, Consumer Products
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

SPRINGDALE, AR 72762
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Class A Common Stock 53,955
D
 
Class A Common Stock 452
I
By Custodian For Child
Class A Common Stock 452
I
By Custodian For Child
Class A Common Stock 30,728
I
By ESPP
Class A Common Stock 4,527
I
By Spouse Trust

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) 10/10/2004(1) 10/10/2012 Class A Common Stock 1,392 $ 9.64 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) 09/19/2005(2) 09/19/2013 Class A Common Stock 2,784 $ 13.33 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 09/29/2014 Class A Common Stock 6,000 $ 15.96 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) 11/16/2007(4) 11/16/2015 Class A Common Stock 10,000 $ 16.35 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) 11/16/2009(5) 11/16/2017 Class A Common Stock 40,000 $ 15.06 (5) D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option(right to buy) 11/17/2008(6) 11/17/2016 Class A Common Stock 20,000 $ 15.37 (6) D  
Performance Shares   (7)   (7) Class A Common Stock 9,445.8438 $ (8) D  
Performance Shares   (9)   (9) Class A Common Stock 8,310.2493 $ (8) D  
Performance Shares   (10)   (10) Class A Common Stock 21,008.4034 $ (8) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Smith Donald
2210 W. OAKLAWN
SPRINGDALE, AR 72762
      Group VP, Consumer Products  

Signatures

By: R. Read Hudson, by power of attorney for 01/14/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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).
(1) The Stock Options vested at 40% on 10-10-04 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.
(2) This Stock Options vest at 40% on 9-19-05 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.
(3) The Stock Options vest at 40% on 09-29-06 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.
(4) The Stock Options vest at 40% on 11-16-07 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.
(5) The Stock Options vest at 40% on 11-16-09 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.
(6) The Stock Options vest at 40% on 11-17-08 and 20% each year thereafter for the following three years.
(7) The award will vest or expire two business days following the Issuer's public announcement of its earnings for the 2009 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies and the achievement by the Issuer of certain goals related to return on invested capital. The number of performance shares that can vest under the awards range from 50% to 150% of a target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.
(8) Each Performance Share that vests entitles the reporting person to 1 share of Class A Common Stock. The number is the maximum number of shares that can vest under the grant.
(9) The award will vest or expire two business days following the Issuer's public announcement of its earnings for the 2008 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies and the achievement by the Issuer of certain goals related to return on invested capital. The number of performance shares that can vest under the awards range from 50% to 150% of a target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.
(10) The award will vest or expire two business days following the Issuer's 2010 fiscal year based upon a comparison of the market price of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock to a peer group of publicly traded companies. The number of performance shares that can vest under the awards range from 50% to 150% of a target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.

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