990372 Tyson Statement on USA-Canada Trade Concerns

Springdale, AR - Tyson Foods is perplexed that Canadian Prime Minister Chretien has threatened to drag the Company into a skirmish over trade between the two countries that began over magazine advertising.

While the Company values all its customers, foreign and domestic, loss of sales to Canada would have no significant impact on Tyson's revenues or its bottom line.

In 1998 Tyson's sales in Canada amounted to only $6.9 million out of total exports of $684 million and overall sales of $7.4 billion.

“We don't like the prospect of losing any markets, and don't enjoy being used as a political football,” said Archie Schaffer, Tyson's Director of Media, Public and Governmental Affairs. “However, with our sales in Canada being less than $7 million out of overall revenues of $7.4 billion, the closure of that market would have little or no impact on our business. We do hope the matter can be resolved without impacting the poultry trade so our Canadian customers will not be inconvenienced.”

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