SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)	6 Months Ended
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)	Jun. 28, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Reportable Segments	Smithfield Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries ("Smithfield," "the Company," "we," "us" or "our"), is the largest hog producer and pork processor in the world. We produce and market a wide variety of fresh meat and packaged meats products both domestically and internationally. We conduct our operations through five reportable segments: Fresh Pork, Packaged Meats, Hog Production, International and Corporate.
Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. You should read these statements and notes in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes included in our report on Form 10-K for the twelve months ended December 28, 2014. The information reflects all normal recurring adjustments which we believe are necessary to present fairly the financial position and results of operations for all periods included. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. The three and six months ended June 28, 2015 correspond to the second quarter and first half of 2015 and the three and six months ended June 29, 2014 correspond to the second quarter and first half of 2014.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09). The standard outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The ASU applies to all contracts with customers, except those that are within the scope of other topics in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. Compared with current U.S. GAAP, the ASU also requires significantly expanded disclosures about revenue recognition. The new guidance is effective for fiscal year and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is not permitted. The guidance is not currently effective for us and has not been applied in this Form 10-Q. We are currently in the process of evaluating the potential impact of future adoption but at this time do not anticipate it will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (ASU 2015-03). The standard requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct reduction of the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. We elected to early adopt this new guidance effective for the first quarter of 2015 and have applied the changes retrospectively to all periods presented. As a result, debt issuance costs of approximately $12.9 million and $16.1 million are presented in long-term debt and capital lease obligations in the consolidated condensed balance sheets as of June 28, 2015 and December 28, 2014, respectively. In May 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-07, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent) (ASU 2015-07). The standard removes the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. We elected to early adopt this new guidance for 2015.