Accounting Policies (Policy)	3 Months Ended
Accounting Policies (Policy)	Dec. 31, 2016
Policy Text Block [Abstract]
Basis Of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The consolidated condensed financial statements are unaudited and have been prepared by Tyson Foods, Inc. (“Tyson,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”). Certain information and accounting policies and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the disclosures contained herein are adequate to make the information presented not misleading, these consolidated condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 1, 2016. Preparation of consolidated condensed financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. We believe the accompanying consolidated condensed financial statements contain all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary to state fairly our financial position as of December 31, 2016, and the results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2016, and January 2, 2016. Results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year.
Consolidation	Consolidation The consolidated condensed financial statements include the accounts of all wholly-owned subsidiaries, as well as majority-owned subsidiaries over which we exercise control and, when applicable, entities for which we have a controlling financial interest or variable interest entities for which we are the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued guidance which removes step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. As a result, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting units' fair value. The guidance is effective for annual or interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, our fiscal 2021. Early adoption is permitted for annual or interim goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017, and the prospective transition method should be applied. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In November 2016, the FASB issued guidance which requires entities to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, our fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted and the retrospective transition method should be applied. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued guidance which requires companies to recognize the income tax effects of intercompany sales and transfers of assets, other than inventory, in the period in which the transfer occurs. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, our fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted and the modified retrospective transition method should be applied. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued guidance which aims to eliminate diversity in the practice of how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, our fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted and the retrospective transition method should be applied. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance that provides more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and changes the loss impairment methodology. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, our fiscal 2021. Early adoption is permitted for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, our fiscal 2020. The application of the guidance requires various transition methods depending on the specific amendment. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification of related amounts within the statement of cash flows and impact on earnings per share. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, our fiscal 2018. Early adoption is permitted and the application of the guidance requires various transition methods depending on the specific amendment. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance which created new accounting and reporting guidelines for leasing arrangements. The guidance requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for all leases with terms of more than 12 months. Recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease will depend on classification as a finance or operating lease. The guidance also requires qualitative and quantitative disclosures regarding the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, our fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted and the modified retrospective method should be applied. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance that requires most equity investments be measured at fair value, with subsequent changes in fair value recognized in net income. The guidance also impacts financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements on the classification and measurement of financial instruments. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, our fiscal 2019. It should be applied by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption, unless, equity securities do not have readily determinable fair values, in which case, the amendments should be applied prospectively. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued guidance which requires management to evaluate inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, our fiscal 2018. Early adoption is permitted and the prospective transition method should be applied. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance changing the criteria for recognizing revenue. The guidance provides for a single five-step model to be applied to all revenue contracts with customers. The standard also requires additional financial statement disclosures that will enable users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows relating to customer contracts. Companies have an option to use either a retrospective approach or cumulative effect adjustment approach to implement the standard. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, our fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, our fiscal 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.