Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
LEATHERBY DENNIS
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
TYSON FOODS INC [TSN] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Exec. VP and CFO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/02/2012
(Street)

SPRINGDALE, AR 72762		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Class A Common Stock 09/14/2012   J(1) V 93 A $ 0 71,248 D  
Class A Common Stock 09/27/2012   J(2) V 395 A $ 0 26,565 I Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Class A Common Stock 10/02/2012   M(3)   6,087 A (3) 77,335 D  
Class A Common Stock 10/02/2012   S(4)   2,036 D $ 16.54 75,299 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Performance Shares (3) 10/05/2009 10/02/2012 M     18,262   (3) 10/02/2012 Class A Common Stock 18,262 (3) 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
LEATHERBY DENNIS
2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
SPRINGDALE, AR 72762		       Exec. VP and CFO  

Signatures

 /s/ R. Read Hudson by Power of Attorney for Dennis Leatherby   10/04/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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) Represents shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock received by the Reporting Person on June 15, 2012 and September 14, 2012 pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature under the Issuer's stock plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
(2) Represents shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased for the Reporting Person's account under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person. Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.
(3) On October 5, 2009, the Reporting Person received a grant of performance shares which vested or expired on October 2, 2012. The performance shares could vest at a level of 50%-150% and were previously reported as derivative securities at the 150% level. On October 2, 2012, 6,087 shares vested and are reported herein as acquired non-derivatives securities. The remaining 12,175 shares granted October 5, 2009 have expired.
(4) On October 2, 2012, 6,087 shares of Class A Common Stock vested. The award of those shares to the Reporting Person has previously been reported (see Footnote #3). Pursuant to an election made by the Reporting Person, 2,036 shares were sold by the Reporting Person to the Issuer on October 2, 2012, to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the vesting.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.