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

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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) Executive VP and CFO (Last) (First) (Middle) 2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 10/03/2011 (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               82,720 D   Class A Common Stock 10/04/2011   M(3)   17,730 A (2) 100,450 D   Class A Common Stock 10/04/2011   S(3)   5,931 D $ 17.1 94,519 D   Class A Common Stock 09/29/2011   J(4)   154 A $ 0 22,554 I Employee Stock Purchase Plan

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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

(1)

10/03/2011

A(1)

12,961

(1)

(1)

Class A Common Stock

12,961

$ 0

12,961

D

Performance Shares

(2)

09/28/2008

10/04/2011

M(2)

17,730

(2)

10/04/2011

Class A Common Stock

17,730

(2)

0

D

Reporting Owners

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

Signatures

/s/Nathan A. Hodne by Power of Attorney for Dennis Leatherby		10/05/2011
**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)	The award will vest on or expire two business days following the Issuer's 2014 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 target level, and the number of derivative securities reported herein is at the maximum vesting level of 150%.
(2)	On September 29, 2008 the Reporting Person received a grant of performance shares which vested on October 4, 2011. The performance shares were previously reported as derivative securities at the 150% level. On October 4,2011, 17,730 shares vested (150% level) and are reported herein as acquired non-derivative securities.
(3)	On October 4, 2011, 17,730 shares of performance Class A Common Stock vested. The award of those performance shares to the Reporting Person has previously been reported (see Footnote #2). Pursuant to an election made by the Reporting Person, 5,931 shares were sold by the Reporting Person to the Issuer on October 4, 2011, to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the vesting.
(4)	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.

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