Leading the headlines today is a report that Tyson Foods, Inc. on Friday announced first-quarter net income attributable to the company of $156 million, down from $298 million for the same period a year ago. Sales for the three-month period improved to $8.33 billion from $7.62 billion in the same quarter a year earlier.

In other news, Minnesota-based Michael Foods has substantially widened a recall of hard-boiled eggs because of a potential for contamination with a dangerous strain of listeria.

McDonald's Corp. scored a record-low rate on a 30-year bond as part of its two-part $750 million debt sale--reclaiming a mark it had held about a year and a half ago. The deal also consisted of a $250 million reopening of, or addition to, 2.625% notes in 2022. The amount outstanding on the 2022 notes is $500 million.

Landry's Inc. on Wednesday shuttered at least eight units of Morton's steakhouse in various markets as it completed its acquisition of the high-end steakhouse company. The $116.6 million acquisition of Chicago-based Morton's Restaurant Group Inc. was completed Wednesday in a tender-offer deal with affiliated companies owned by Houston-based Landry's chairman and chief executive Tilman Fertitta.

Kraft Foods' employees are making steady progress reducing the amount of manufacturing waste they produce. And in doing so they're reducing their environmental impact. Together, they're finding better uses for waste and even turning manufacturing byproducts into new energy sources.

Officials at Hormel Foods have confirmed reports that the Minnesota-based firm plans to phase out the use of sow gestation crates by 2017. “The breeding sows at our company-owned farms in Arizona will be transitioning to group sow housing by the end of summer 2012. We will also be making the transition at our farms in Colorado before 2018.

Poultry industry facilities with outstanding safety programs are invited to apply for recognition under the Joint Poultry Industry Safety Award Program. The program is open to National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association members with poultry or egg processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills or rendering facilities that have injury and illness rates below the industry average for three consecutive years.

The pork and beef industries are alarmed about new laying-hen housing legislation introduced in Congress. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) worries it sets a 'dangerous precedent' for allowing the federal government to regulate on-farm production practices, including animal housing. NPPC called H.R. 3798 a 'farm takeover bill.'

Broulim's Fresh Foods, Haggen Food & Pharmacy/TOP Foods, Harris Teeter Inc., and Safeway were awarded the National Retail Beef Backer awards today at the at the 2012 Cattle Industry Annual Convention & NCBA Trade Show in Nashville. Funded by the Beef Checkoff Program, this effort recognizes grocery establishments that are doing an outstanding job of marketing and merchandising beef in the meat case.

Finally today, everything about the Super Bowl is big, including the parties millions of Americans will attend Sunday. But here's a new party treat that will make you the talk of your Super Bowl XLVI bash: Chicken Wing Cupcakes. Yes, a New York state bakery is selling a combination of cornbread and blue cheese frosting -- with a big ol' chicken wing on top.