Item 11.    
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Information for the year ended October 25, 2003, commencing with "Summary Compensation Table" on page 12 through page 15 and "Compensation of
Directors" on page 5 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 27, 2004, is incorporated herein by
reference.
 
 
 
 
Item 12.    
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
Information for the year ended October 25, 2003, under "Principal Stockholders" and "Security Ownership of Management" on pages 7 through 9 and
information under "Equity Compensation Plan Information" on page 15 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held
January 27, 2004, is incorporated herein by reference.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 13.    
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Information under "Other Information Relating to Directors, Nominees, and Executive Officers" for the year ended October 25, 2003, as set forth on page
17 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 27, 2004, is incorporated herein by reference.
 
 
 
 
Item 14.    
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
The information under the "Audit Committee Report and Ratification of Appointment of Auditors—Audit Fees" through "—Audit Committee Preapproval
Policies and Procedures" on page 7 of the Company's definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 27, 2004, is
incorporated herein by reference.
 
 
 
 
PART IV 
 
 
 
 
Item 15.    
EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
(a)
(1) and (2) The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report.
(3)    List of Exhibits—The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report. 
(b)
The following reports on Form 8-K were filed during the fourth quarter:
Form 8-K was filed on August 1, 2003, announcing a January 24, 2004 retirement of Eric Brown, Group Vice President of Prepared Foods and
member of the Board of Directors.
Form 8-K was furnished on August 21, 2003, disclosing the issuance of the Company's earnings release for the third quarter ended July 26, 2003.
Form 8-K was filed on October 7, 2003, announcing union workers from five of the Company's production facilities voted to ratify a new four-year
labor contract.
Form 8-K was filed on October 23, 2003, announcing the Company entered into an unsecured 3-year revolving credit facility in the amount of
$150,000,000, which replaced an existing $150,000,000 credit facility entered into on October 25, 2001.
(c)
The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report. 
(d)
The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report.
 
 
 
 
 
SIGNATURES 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION
 
 
By:
/s/  
JOEL W. JOHNSON
JOEL W. JOHNSON
Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer
 
Date: January 23, 2004
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature to this report on Form 10-K appears below hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Michael J. McCoy, Jody H. Feragen and Mark P. Kalvoda as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of
substitution, to sign on his or her behalf individually and in the capacity stated below and to perform any acts necessary to be done in order to file the