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EXHIBIT 31.1

CERTIFICATIONS

I, Norbert E. Woodhams, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Pierre Foods,
Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
quarterly report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;

4. The registrants other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e)) for the registrant and have:



| | a. |  | designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to
us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in
which this quarterly report is being prepared;
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| | b. |  | evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure
controls and procedures and presented in this quarterly report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures, as of the end of the period covered by of this quarterly
report based on such evaluation; and                                                                              
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| | c. |  | disclosed in this quarterly report any change in the
registrants internal control over financial reporting that occurred
during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter that has
materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
the registrants internal control over financial reporting; and                                                                

5. The registrants other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based
on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
the registrants auditors and the audit committee of registrants board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):



| | a. |  | all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrants
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
information; and
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| | b. |  | any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in the registrants internal control over
financial reporting.
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|------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |  |  | 
|Date: March 9, 2004 | /S/ NORBERT E. WOODHAMSNorbert E. Woodhams
President and Chief Executive Officer
Principal Executive Officer | 
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