Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Nuytten Jeffrey A
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/27/2012		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/ [HRL]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1 HORMEL PLACE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

AUSTIN, MN 55912		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
COMMON STOCK 2,145.159 (1)
D
 
COMMON STOCK 2,579.0929
I
JEPST Trust
COMMON STOCK 102.203
I
Owned by son
COMMON STOCK 102.203
I
Owned by son

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (2) 12/07/2014 COMMON STOCK 10,000 $ 15.035 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (3) 12/06/2015 COMMON STOCK 10,000 $ 16.37 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (4) 12/05/2016 COMMON STOCK 10,000 $ 19.355 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (5) 01/08/2017 COMMON STOCK 200 $ 18.705 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (6) 12/04/2017 COMMON STOCK 10,000 $ 20.07 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (7) 12/02/2018 COMMON STOCK 10,000 $ 12.63 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (8) 12/01/2019 COMMON STOCK 8,000 $ 19.125 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (9) 12/07/2020 COMMON STOCK 8,000 $ 24.96 D  
STOCK OPTIONS (RIGHT TO BUY)   (10) 12/06/2021 COMMON STOCK 8,000 $ 29.6 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Nuytten Jeffrey A
1 HORMEL PLACE
AUSTIN, MN 55912		       Vice President  

Signatures

Jeffrey A Nuytten, by Power of Attorney 03/05/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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) All share amounts reflect the stock split effective February 1, 2011.
(2) The option vested in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 7, 2005.
(3) The option vested in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 6, 2006.
(4) The option vested in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 5, 2007.
(5) These options, received as a result of a universal stock option award, fully vested on December 15, 2010.
(6) The option vested in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 4, 2008.
(7) The option vests in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 2, 2009.
(8) The option vests in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 1, 2010.
(9) The option vests in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 7, 2011.
(10) The option will vest in four equal annual installments, with the first group vesting on December 6, 2012.

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