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Springdale, Arkansas – June 14, 2011 – Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) donated food with a retail value of $125,000 Tuesday as part of the “Lend a Hand” charity tour sponsored by NBC’s ‘Today’ show. 

In its tenth year, the show’s week long, five-city tour helps small, non-profit groups across the country work toward improving living conditions in their communities.

Tyson Foods’ donation of a truck load of chicken was made during the ‘Today’ show’s live broadcast from Las Vegas, Nevada.  For a video of the “Lend a Hand” event, click HERE.

The food was given by Tyson to the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, a non-profit organization that provides training and jobs for low income people and serves meals to children in need.  Due to the size of the donation, the product will be stored at the Three Square food bank in Las Vegas.

“We are so grateful for this generous donation, which will further our mission of providing real-world training to our students while supporting our community,” said Culinary Academy of Las Vegas CEO Steven Horsford.  “With Tyson’s help, we will be providing 4,000 free nutritious meals a day for disadvantaged children as part of the federal Summer Food Service Program.”

“This donation reflects our company’s ongoing commitment to hunger relief,” said Sara Lilygren, senior vice president of External Affairs for Tyson Foods.  “Since we’re a leader in the food business, it makes sense for us to work alongside groups like the Culinary Academy and Three Square in the fight against hunger.”

Tyson Foods also plans to make a similar donation at the ‘Today’ show’s stop in Birmingham, Alabama, on Thursday.

Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated 79 million pounds of much-needed protein to hundreds of food banks, food pantries, and relief agencies in 48 states.  The company partners with all of the nation’s major hunger relief organizations.  These organizations include, Share Our Strength, Lift Up America, Feeding America and the Food Research and Action Center. 

Earlier this year, Tyson Foods initiated the KNOW Hunger campaign in an effort to help raise awareness of hunger in the United States.  The project is designed to encourage people to KNOW the scope of hunger in their own communities and get involved in relief efforts, so someday there will be NO hunger in our country.  For more information on Tyson’s hunger relief efforts, go to http://www.tysonhungerrelief.com/

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:  TSN), founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world's largest processors and marketers of chicken, beef and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500.  The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and services to customers throughout the United States and more than 90 countries. The company has approximately 115,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.

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Contact:  Gary Mickelson 479-235-6111 or gary.mickelson@tyson.com