Document:

Exhibit 10.1

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), is entered into on March 8, 2018 (the
“Effective Date”), by and between Assembly Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation with principal executive
offices at 11711 N. Meridian Street, Suite 310, Carmel, IN 46032 (the “Company”), and Graham Cooper (the “Executive”).

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Company
desires to employ the Executive as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer as of the Effective Date, and the Executive
desires to accept employment by the Company as of the Effective Date; and

 

WHEREAS, the parties
desire to enter into this Agreement, setting forth the terms and conditions of the Executive’s employment with the Company;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1.             Employment.

 

(a)          Services.
The Executive will be employed by the Company initially as its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, reporting to
the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, and shall perform such duties as are consistent with a position as Chief Operating
Officer and Chief Financial Officer (the “Services”). The Executive agrees to perform such Services faithfully,
to devote his full working time, attention and energies to the business of the Company and, while he remains employed and subject
to the terms of this Agreement, not to engage in any other business activity that is in conflict with his duties and obligations
to the Company. For avoidance of doubt, the Executive may engage in consulting and board activities for businesses that are not
competitive with the Company so long as such activities do not interfere with his duties and obligations to the Company and otherwise
comply with the Company’s Code of Conduct. Commencing as of the Effective Date, the Executive shall not join any board of
directors of any for profit entity or engage in outside consulting without the prior written consent of the Chief Executive Officer
or the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

(b)          Acceptance.
Executive hereby accepts such employment and agrees to render the Services. 

 

2.             Term.
The Executive's employment under this Agreement shall commence as of the Effective Date and shall continue on an “at-will”
basis until terminated pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement (the “Term”). 

 

3.             Best
Efforts. The Executive shall devote his full business time, attention and energies (recognizing the exception described
in 1(a) above for consulting and board work) to the business and affairs of the Company and shall use his best efforts to
advance the best interests of the Company and during the Term shall not be actively
engaged in any other business activity, whether or not such business activity is pursued for gain, profit or other pecuniary
advantage, that will interfere with the performance by the Executive of his duties hereunder or the Executive’s
availability to perform such duties or that will adversely affect, or negatively reflect upon, the Company.

 

     

     

    

 

4.             Compensation.
During the Term, as full compensation for the performance by the Executive of his duties under this Agreement, the Company shall
pay the Executive as follows:

 

(a)          Base
Salary. The Company shall pay Executive an annual base salary (the “Base Salary”) initially equal to four
hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($425,000). Payment shall be made in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll practices,
as they may be changed from time to time. The Base Salary will be reviewed by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors
(the “Board”), or a committee thereof, no less frequently than annually. 

 

(b)          Annual
Performance Bonus. At the sole discretion of the Board (or a committee thereof), the Executive shall be eligible to receive
an annual performance-based bonus during the Term (the “Annual Performance Bonus”) targeted at forty percent
(40%) of his then current Base Salary based on the attainment by the Executive of certain financial, clinical development and business
objectives as established annually by the Board (or a committee thereof). Any Annual Performance Bonus earned with respect to the
2018 fiscal year will be prorated based upon the number of days the Executive is employed in the 2018 fiscal year. The Annual Performance
Bonus shall be payable as a lump-sum payment as determined by the Board (or a committee thereof) in its sole discretion. Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, to earn any particular Annual Performance Bonus or installment thereof, the Executive
must, in additional to satisfying the performance objectives, remain employed on the date the Annual Performance Bonus is paid;
provided, further, that the Annual Performance Bonus will be paid no later than seventy-five (75) days after the end of
the period to which the Annual Performance Bonus pertains. 

 

(c)          Withholding.
The Company shall withhold all applicable federal, state and local taxes, social security
and such other amounts as may be required by law from all amounts payable to the Executive under this Agreement, including Section
4 and Section 9.

 

(d)          Equity.
As a material inducement to accept the Company’s offer of employment, the Company will recommend to the Board (or a committee
thereof) that the Executive be granted, subject to the Executive’s acceptance of this Agreement and commencement of employment,
an option to purchase 220,000 shares of common stock of the Company (the “New Hire Stock Option”). Subject to
the Executive’s continued employment and the terms of the Company’s 2017 Inducement Award Plan (the “Inducement
Plan”) and the applicable non-qualified stock option agreement entered into by the Executive and the Company pursuant
to the Inducement Plan, the option will have a term of ten years and the shares underlying the New Hire Stock Option shall vest
in installments over three years with the first installment (representing approximately 33-1/3%
of the shares) vesting on the first anniversary of grant date and the balance vesting over the next two years thereafter in approximately
equal monthly installments. The New Hire Stock Option shall be subject to accelerated vesting in connection with a Change
of Control as provided in Section 9(c). The New Hire Stock Option and any subsequently granted equity or stock-based awards under
the Company’s equity incentive plans, including stock options and restricted stock unit awards, will be collectively referred
to in this Agreement as the “Equity Awards.”

 

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(e)          Expenses.
The Company shall provide the Executive with a corporate credit card for business use, and
shall reimburse the Executive for all normal, usual and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive in furtherance of the business
and affairs of the Company, including reasonable travel and entertainment, upon timely receipt by the Company of appropriate vouchers
or other proof of the Executive’s expenditures and otherwise in accordance with any expense reimbursement policy as may from
time to time be adopted by the Company.

 

(f)          Other
Benefits. The Executive shall be entitled to all rights and benefits for which he shall be eligible under any benefit or other
plans (including, without limitation, dental, medical, medical reimbursement and hospital plans, pension plans, employee stock
purchase plans, profit sharing plans, bonus plans and other so-called “Fringe Benefits”)
as the Company shall make available to its senior executives from time to time, subject to the terms of such plans. In addition,
if applicable, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for his reasonable licensing fees, continuing professional education,
and other professional dues upon timely receipt by the Company of appropriate vouchers or other proof of the Executive’s
expenditures and otherwise in accordance with any expense reimbursement policy as may from time to time be adopted by the Company.
The Company shall also name the Executive as a covered person under its Directors &
Officers insurance policies. 

 

(g)          Vacation.
The Executive will be entitled to paid vacation in accordance with the Company’s vacation policy, as in effect from time
to time.

 

5.             Confidential
Information and Inventions.

 

(a)          The
Executive recognizes and acknowledges that in the course of his duties he is likely to receive confidential or proprietary information
owned by the Company or third parties with whom the Company has an obligation of confidentiality, relating to and used in the Company’s
business (collectively, “Confidential and Proprietary Information”). Confidential and Proprietary Information
shall include, but shall not be limited to, confidential or proprietary scientific or technical information, data, formulas and
related concepts, business plans (both current and under development), client lists, promotion and marketing programs, trade secrets,
or any other confidential or proprietary business information relating to development programs, costs, revenues, marketing, investments,
sales activities, promotions, credit and financial data, manufacturing processes, financing methods, plans or the business and
affairs of the Company or of any affiliate, client or service provider of the Company, and any and all information relating to
the operation of the Company’s business which the Company may from time to time designate as confidential or proprietary
or that the Executive reasonably knows should be, or has been, treated by the Company as
confidential or proprietary. The Executive expressly acknowledges that the Confidential and Proprietary Information constitutes
a protectable business interest of the Company. The Executive further agrees that if any information that the Company deems to
be a trade secret is found by a court of competent jurisdiction not to be a trade secret, such information will, nevertheless,
be considered Confidential and Proprietary Information for purposes of this Agreement. Confidential and Proprietary Information
does not include any information that: (i) at the time of disclosure is generally known to, or readily ascertainable by, the public;
(ii) becomes known to the public through no fault of the Executive or other violation of
this Agreement; or (iii) is disclosed to the Executive by a third party under no obligation
to maintain the confidentiality of the information. The Executive agrees, during and after the Term, except as reasonably necessary
for the fulfillment of his duties under this Agreement: (i) not to use any such Confidential and Proprietary Information for himself
or others; and (ii) to keep confidential and not disclose or make accessible to any other person or entity any Confidential and
Proprietary Information. The Executive agrees to return immediately all Confidential and Proprietary Information and Company material
and reproductions (including but not limited, to writings, correspondence, notes, drafts, records, invoices, technical and business
policies, computer programs or disks) thereof in his possession to the Company upon termination of employment, or at any time upon
the Company’s request.

 

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(b)           Except
with prior written authorization by the Company, the Executive agrees not to disclose or publish any of the Confidential and Proprietary
Information, or any confidential, scientific, technical or business information of any other party to whom the Company owes an
obligation of confidence, at any time during or after his employment with the Company. The restrictions in this Section 5(b)
and in Section 5(a) above will not apply to any information that the Executive
is required to disclose by law, provided that the Executive (i) notifies the Company
of the existence and terms of such obligation, (ii) gives the Company a reasonable opportunity to seek a protective or similar
order to prevent or limit such disclosure, and (iii) only discloses that information actually required to be disclosed. 

 

(c)           The
Executive agrees that any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), discoveries, improvements, know-how, ideas, information
and patentable or copyrightable works (“Inventions”) initiated, conceived or made by him, either alone or in
conjunction with others, during the course of his employment by the Company or that result from work performed by the Executive
for the Company, shall be the sole property of the Company to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and, to the extent
permitted by law, shall be “works made for hire” as that term is defined in the United States Copyright Act (17 U.S.C.A.,
Section 101). The Company shall be the sole owner of all patents, copyrights, trade secret rights, and other intellectual property
or other rights in connection therewith. The Executive hereby assigns to the Company all right, title and interest he may have
or acquire in all such Inventions. The Executive further agrees to assist the Company in every proper way (but at the Company’s
expense) to obtain and from time to time enforce patents, copyrights or other rights on such Inventions in any and all countries,
and to that end the Executive will execute all documents necessary:

 

(i)             to
apply for, obtain and vest in the name of the Company alone (unless the Company otherwise directs) letters patent, copyrights or
other analogous protection in any country throughout the world and when so obtained or vested to renew and restore the same; and

 

(ii)            to
defend any opposition proceedings in respect of such applications and any opposition proceedings or petitions or applications for
revocation of such letters patent, copyright or other analogous protection.

 

To
the extent this Agreement is required to be construed in accordance with the laws of any state which precludes a requirement
to assign certain classes of inventions made by an employee, this Section 5 will be interpreted not to apply to any invention which
a court rules and/or the Company agrees falls within such classes. As required pursuant to Section 2872 of the California Labor
Code, Executive acknowledges that the Company has notified the Executive that the provisions of this Section 5 do not apply to
an invention that qualified fully under the provisions of Section 2870 of the California Labor Code (attached hereto as Exhibit
A).

 

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(d)            The
Executive acknowledges that, while performing the services under this Agreement the Executive may locate, identify and/or evaluate
patented or patentable inventions having commercial potential in the fields of pharmacy, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare,
technology and other fields that may be of potential interest to the Company (the “Third-Party
Inventions”). The Executive understands, acknowledges and agrees that all rights
to, interests in or opportunities regarding, all Third-Party Inventions identified by the Company or its affiliates or either of
the foregoing Persons’ officers, directors, employees (including the Executive), agents
or consultants during the Term shall be and remain the sole and exclusive property of the Company or such affiliate and the Executive
shall have no rights whatsoever to such Third-Party Inventions and will not pursue for himself or for others any transaction relating
to the Third-Party Inventions which is not on behalf of the Company.

 

(e)            The
provisions of this Section 5 shall survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

6.             Non-Solicitation.
The Executive understands and recognizes that his services to the Company are special and unique and that in the course of performing
such services the Executive will have access to and knowledge of Confidential and Proprietary Information (as defined in Section
5) and will become knowledgeable of and familiar with the Company’s customers and
service providers as well as the Company’s business. The Executive acknowledges that, due to the unique nature of the Company’s
business, the loss of any of its clients, service providers or business flow or the improper use of its Confidential and Proprietary
Information could create significant instability and cause substantial damage to the Company and therefore the Company has a strong
legitimate business interest in protecting the continuity of its business interests and the restrictions herein agreed to by the
Executive narrowly and fairly serve such an important and critical business interest of the Company. Therefore, the Executive
covenants and agrees as follows:

 

(a)           Definitions.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings given to such terms below:

 

(i)          “Company
Employee” means (A) any person who is an employee of the Company at the time of the date of the Executive’s
termination of employment, and (B) any person who was an employee of the Company at any point during the six (6) month period prior
to, the termination of the Executive’s employment.

 

(ii)         “Person”
means any person, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation or other business entity.

 

(iii)        “Restricted
Period” means the period commencing on the date of the Executive’s termination of employment and ending twelve
(12) months thereafter; provided, however, that this period will be tolled and will not run during any time Executive is
in violation of this Section 6, it being the intent of the parties that the Restricted Period will be extended for any period of
time in which the Executive is in violation of this Section 6.

 

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(b)          Non-Solicitation.
During his employment with the Company and during the Restricted Period (other than for the benefit of the Company), the Executive
will not, directly or indirectly, on the Executive’s own behalf or on behalf of any
other Person, solicit, induce, or attempt to solicit or induce any Company Employee or any independent contractor (who is then
engaged by the Company or was engaged by the Company in the prior six (6) months) to terminate his or her employment or engagement
with the Company or to accept employment or engagement with any Person. 

 

(c)          Enforcement.
In the event that the Executive breaches or threatens to breach any provisions of Section 5 or
this Section 6, then the Company will suffer irreparable harm and monetary damages would
be inadequate to compensate the Company. Accordingly, in addition to any other rights which the Company may have, the Company shall
(i) be entitled, without the posting of bond or other security, to seek injunctive relief to enforce the restrictions contained
in such Sections and (ii) have the right to require the Executive to account for and pay over to the Company all compensation,
profits, monies, accruals, increments and other benefits derived or received by the Executive as a result of any transaction constituting
a breach of any of the provisions of Sections 5 or 6, to
the maximum extent permitted by law.

 

(d)          Reasonableness
and Severability. Each of the rights and remedies enumerated in Section 6(c) shall be
independent of the others and shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any other rights and remedies available to the Company
at law or in equity. The Executive hereby acknowledges and agrees that the covenants provided for pursuant to Section 6
are essential elements of Executive’s employment by the Company and are reasonable with respect
to their duration, geographic area and scope and in all other respects. If, at the time of enforcement of this Section 6,
a court of competent jurisdiction holds that the restrictions
stated herein are unreasonable under the circumstances then existing, the parties hereto agree that the maximum duration, scope
or geographic area legally permissible under such circumstances will be substituted for the duration, scope or area stated herein.
If any of the covenants contained in this Section 6, or any part of any of them, is hereafter
construed or adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, the same shall not affect the remainder of the covenant or covenants or
rights or remedies which shall be given full effect without regard to the invalid portions. No such holding of invalidity or unenforceability
in one jurisdiction shall bar or in any way affect the Company’s right to the relief provided in this Section 6 or
otherwise in the courts of any other state or jurisdiction within the geographical scope of such covenants as to breaches of such
covenants in such other respective states or jurisdictions, such covenants being, for this purpose, severable into diverse and
independent covenants.

 

(e)          Defend
Trade Secrets Act of 2016. The Executive understands that pursuant to the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016,
the Executive shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of
a trade secret that (i) is made (x) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly,
or to an attorney; and (y) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (ii) is made in
a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.

 

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(f)          Protected
Disclosures. The Executive understands that nothing contained in this Agreement limits the Executive’s ability to communicate
with any federal, state or local governmental agency or commission, including to provide documents or other information, without
notice to the Company. The Executive also understands that nothing in this Agreement limits the Executive’s ability to share
compensation information concerning the Executive or others, except that this does not permit the Executive to disclose compensation
information concerning others that the Executive obtain because the Executive’s job responsibilities require or allow access
to such information.

 

(g)          Remedies.
In the event that an actual proceeding is brought in equity to enforce the provisions of Section 5 or
this Section 6, the Executive shall not urge as a defense that there is an adequate remedy
at law nor shall the Company be prevented from seeking any other remedies which may be available. The Executive agrees that he
shall not raise in any proceeding brought to enforce the provisions of Section 5 or this
Section 6 that the covenants contained in such Sections limit his ability to earn a living.

 

(h)          Survival.
The provisions of Section 6 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

7.             Representations
and Warranties. 

 

(a)            The
Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

 

(i)          Neither
the execution or delivery of this Agreement nor the performance by the Executive of his duties and other obligations hereunder
violate or will violate any statute, law, determination or award, or conflict with or constitute a default or breach of any covenant
or obligation under (whether immediately, upon the giving of notice or lapse of time or both) any prior employment agreement, contract,
or other instrument to which the Executive is a party or by which he is bound.

 

(ii)         The
Executive has the full right, power and legal capacity to enter and deliver this Agreement and to perform his duties and other
obligations hereunder. This Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Executive enforceable against
him in accordance with its terms. No approvals or consents of any persons or entities are required for the Executive to execute
and deliver this Agreement or perform his duties and other obligations hereunder.

 

(b)            The
Company hereby represents and warrants to the Executive that this Agreement and the employment of the Executive hereunder have
been duly authorized by and on behalf of the Company, including, without limitation, by all required action by the Board.

 

8.              Termination.
The Executive’s employment hereunder shall be terminated immediately upon the Executive’s death and may be otherwise
terminated as follows:

 

(a)            The
Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated by the Company for Cause as determined by the Board. Any of the following
actions by the Executive shall constitute “Cause”:

 

(i)          The
willful failure, disregard or continuing refusal by the Executive to perform his duties hereunder;

 

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(ii)         Any
act of willful or intentional misconduct, or a grossly negligent act by the Executive having the effect of injuring, in a material
way (as determined in good-faith by the Board of Directors), the business or reputation of the Company, including but not limited
to, any officer, director, or executive of the Company;

 

(iii)        Willful
misconduct by the Executive in carrying out his duties or obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, insubordination
with respect to lawful directions received by the Executive from the Chief Executive Officer or from the Board;

 

(iv)        The
Executive’s indictment of any felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude (including entry of a nolo contendere plea);

 

(v)         The
determination by the Company, based upon clear and convincing evidence, after a reasonable and good-faith investigation by the
Company following a written allegation by another employee of the Company, that the Executive engaged in some form of harassment
prohibited by law (including, without limitation, age, sex or race discrimination);

 

(vi)        Any
intentional misappropriation of the property of the Company, or embezzlement of its funds or assets (whether or not a misdemeanor
or felony);

 

(vii)       Breach
by the Executive of any of the provisions of Sections 5, 6, or 7 of this Agreement; and

 

(viii)      Breach
by the Executive of any provision of this Agreement other than those contained in Sections 5, 6, or 7 which
is not cured by the Executive within thirty (30) business days after notice thereof is given to the Executive by the Company.

 

Except for a failure,
misconduct, breach, or refusal which, by its nature, cannot reasonably be expected to be cured, the Executive shall have ten (10)
business days from the delivery of written notice by the Company within which to cure any acts constituting Cause, unless a longer
cure period is provided in the act constituting Cause described above; provided however, that, if the Company reasonably expects
irreparable injury from a delay of ten (10) business days, the Company may give the Executive notice of such shorter period within
which to cure as is reasonable under the circumstances, which may include the termination of the Executive's employment for Cause
without notice and with immediate effect.

 

(b)            The
Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated by the Board due to the Executive’s Disability. For purposes of
this Agreement, a termination for “Disability” shall occur (i) when the Board has provided a written termination
notice to the Executive supported by a written statement from a reputable independent physician mutually selected by the Company
and the Executive, or the Executive’s legal representatives in the event he is unable to make such selection due to mental
incapacity, to the effect that the Executive shall have become so physically or mentally incapacitated as to be unable to resume,
even with reasonable accommodation as may be required under the Americans With Disabilities Act, within the ensuing twelve (12)
months, his employment hereunder by reason of physical or mental illness or injury, or (ii) upon rendering of a written termination
notice by the Company after the Executive has been unable to substantially perform his duties hereunder, even with reasonable accommodation
as may be required under the Americans With Disabilities Act, for one hundred twenty (120)
or more consecutive days, or more than one hundred eighty (180)
days in any consecutive twelve (12) month period, by reason of any physical or mental illness or
injury. For purposes of this Section 8(b), the Executive agrees to make himself available
and to cooperate in any reasonable examination by a reputable independent physician mutually selected by the Company and the Executive,
and paid for by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall give the Company the right to terminate the Executive
prior to discharging its obligations to the Executive, if any, under the Family and Medical
Leave Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, or any other applicable law. The Company shall reimburse the Executive
for his actual cost of maintaining a supplementary long-term disability insurance policy during the Term up to a maximum reimbursement
of $10,000 per year. 

 

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(c)            The
Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated by the Company (or its successor) by written notice to the Executive upon
the occurrence of a Change of Control. For purposes of this Agreement, “Change of Control” means (i) the acquisition,
directly or indirectly, following the Effective Date by any person (as such term is defined in Section 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of securities of the Company
representing in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities if
such person or his or its affiliate(s) do not own in excess of 50% of such voting power on the Effective Date of this Agreement,
(ii) the future disposition by the Company (whether direct or indirect, by sale of assets or stock, merger, consolidation or otherwise)
of all or substantially all of its business and/or assets in one transaction or series of related transactions other than a merger
effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company, or (iii) a “corporate transaction” as
defined in the Company equity incentive plans under which the Executive has been granted Equity Awards. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if the Change of Control does not constitute a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or in
the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company, within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the amount of cash severance payable pursuant to Section 9(b), if any,
shall be paid in equal installments in accordance with the Company’s then payroll practice over a 18-month period. Solely
for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each installment payment is considered a separate payment.

 

(d)            The
Executive’s employment hereunder may be voluntarily terminated by the Executive for Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement,
“Good Reason” shall mean any of the following: (i) any material reduction by the Company of the Executive’s
duties, or responsibilities or authority; (ii) any material reduction by the Company of the Executive’s
Base Salary and/or target Annual Performance Bonus payable hereunder (it being understood that an across-the-board reduction applicable
to all similarly situated employees of the Company, including the Executive, shall not be deemed a reduction for purposes of this
definition); (iii) the Executive no longer reports to the Chief Executive Officer or Board of Directors of the Company or its successor;
(iv) any requirement by the Company, without the Executive’s prior written consent, that
the Executive locate the Executive’s residence or primary place of employment to a
location outside a 50-mile radius of such location mutually agreed upon between the Company and the Executive as of the Effective
Date, or such other location that the Company and the Executive may mutually agree upon and designate from time to time during
the Term; or (v) a material breach by the Company of Section 7(b) of this Agreement which
is not cured by the Company within 30 days after written notice thereof is given to the Company by the Executive. However, notwithstanding
the above, Good Reason shall not exist unless: (x) the Executive notifies the Board within thirty (30) days of the initial existence
of one of the adverse events described above, and (y) the Company fails to correct the adverse event within thirty (30) days of
such notice, and (z) the Executive’s voluntary termination because of the existence of one or more of the adverse events
described above occurs within two hundred seventy (270) days of the initial existence of the event. 

 

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(e)            The
Executive’s employment may be terminated by the Company without Cause by delivery of written notice to the Executive effective
the date of delivery of such notice. For the avoidance of doubt, termination of the Executive’s employment due to his death
or Disability does not constitute a termination for Cause.

 

(f)            The
Executive’s employment may be terminated by the Executive in the absence of Good Reason by delivery of written notice to
the Company effective fifteen (15) days after the date of delivery of such notice.

 

9.             Compensation
upon Termination.

 

(a)            Accrued
Benefits. Upon termination of the Executive’s employment by either party
regardless of the cause or reason, the Executive shall be entitled to the following,
referred to herein as the “Accrued Benefits”: (i) payment for any accrued, unpaid Base Salary through the
termination date; (ii) if provided for under the Company’s vacation plan or policy or required by applicable law,
payment for any accrued, unused vacation days through the termination date; and (iii)
reimbursement for any approved business expenses that the Executive has timely
submitted for reimbursement in accordance with the Company’s business expense reimbursement policy or practice. Except
as otherwise expressly provided by this Agreement, the Company shall have no further payment obligations to the Executive
and all Equity Awards that have not vested as of the termination date shall be forfeited to the Company as of such date.
Subject to this Section 9, the vested portion of any stock options held by the
Executive as of the Executive’s termination date shall remain exercisable for ninety (90) days following such
termination. 

 

(b)          Change
of Control Separation Benefits. If the Executive’s employment is terminated due to death, by the Company due to Disability
pursuant to Section 8(b), by the Company without Cause pursuant to Section 8(e) or by the
Executive for Good Reason pursuant to Section 8(d) and such termination occurs during
the period beginning one (1) month immediately preceding the Change of Control and ending twelve (12) months immediately following
such Change of Control (the “COC Period”), provided that the Executive
signs and does not revoke a general release of claims against the Company within the time period specified therein (which time
period shall not exceed sixty (60) days), in form and substance satisfactory to the Company (the “Release”),
and provided further that such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation
§ 1.409A-1(h), then the Company shall provide the following benefits to the Executive,
referred to herein as the “Change of Control Separation Benefits”: (i) a lump sum payment equal to eighteen
(18) months of the Executive’s then-current Base Salary; (ii) the full Annual Performance
Bonus for the year in which such termination occurs multiplied by 1.5, less any installments
paid in advance (items (i) and (ii) being the “Change of Control Separation Pay”); (iii) immediate vesting in
full of all Equity Awards; provided, however, that (A) in the event that a termination without Cause or termination for Good Reason
or termination due to death or Disability occurs during the one (1) month immediately preceding a Change of Control (i.e., the
first month of a COC Period), any Equity Awards outstanding as of the Executive’s termination shall not accelerate in connection
with such termination but instead will remain outstanding and eligible to vest pursuant to this provision immediately prior to
the consummation of such Change of Control (assuming the timely execution and non-revocation of a Release) and (B) in the event
that Termination without Cause or a Termination for Good Reason occurs prior to a Change of Control and such Change of Control
is not consummated on or prior to the one (1) month anniversary of such termination, no vesting shall occur pursuant to this provision
and any Equity Awards outstanding as of the Executive’s termination shall terminate in accordance with its terms; (iv) extension
of the exercise period for all vested stock options held by the Executive as of the termination date until the end of their term;
and (v) if the Executive properly and timely elects to continue his health insurance benefits under COBRA or applicable state continuation
coverage after the termination date, reimbursement for the portion of Executive’s health continuation coverage premiums that
the Company would have paid had the Executive remained employed by the Company until the earlier of (A) the eighteen (18) month
period following the month in which the Executive’s termination date occurs, or (B) the maximum period permitted by applicable
law, provided that the Company’s obligation to pay a portion of the Executive’s health continuation coverage premiums
will terminate if he becomes eligible for health insurance benefits from another employer during the reimbursement period, The
Change of Control Separation Pay will be paid within sixty (60) days after the termination date.

 

    	 	10	 

     

    

 

(c)          Base
Separation Benefits. If the Executive’s employment is terminated during the Term and outside of the COC Period as a
result of the Executive’s Disability pursuant to Section 8(b),
by the Company without Cause pursuant to Section 8(e), or by the Executive
for Good Reason pursuant to Section 8(d), provided that the Executive
signs and does not revoke the Release within the time period specified therein (which time period shall not exceed sixty (60)
days), and provided further that such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of
Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h), then the Company shall provide the following benefits to the Executive,
referred to herein as the “Base Separation Benefits”: (i) the continued payment in installments of
the Executive’s then-current Base Salary for a period of twelve (12) months
following the termination date (the “Base Separation Pay”) ; (ii) all Equity Awards which would have time
vested during the twelve (12) months following the termination date shall accelerate and vest; (iii) extension of the
exercise period for all vested stock options held by the Executive as of the termination date until the first anniversary of
the termination date; and (iv) if the Executive properly and timely elects to continue his
health insurance benefits under COBRA or applicable state continuation coverage after the termination date, reimbursement for
the portion of Executive’s health continuation coverage premiums that the Company would have paid had the Executive
remained employed by the Company until the earlier of (A) the twelve (12) month period following the month in which the
Executive’s termination date occurs, or (B) the maximum period permitted by applicable law, provided that the
Company’s obligation to pay a portion of the Executive’s health continuation coverage premiums will terminate if
he becomes eligible for health insurance benefits from another employer during the reimbursement period. The
first installment of the Base Separation Pay will be paid on the Company’s first regular payday occurring following the
effectiveness of the Release in an amount equal to the sum of payments of Base Salary that would have been paid if he had
remained in employment for the period from the termination date through the payment date. The remaining installments will be
paid until the end of the 12-month period at the same rate as the Base Salary in accordance with the Company’s normal
payroll practices for its employees. The Executive understands that if he is eligible
to receive the Base Separation Benefits, such Base Separation Benefits shall be in lieu of and not in addition to the Change
of Control Separation Benefits described in Section 9(b) of this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Executive is entitled to receive the Base
Separation Benefits but violates any provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement entered into by the Executive
and the Company after termination of employment, the Company will be entitled to immediately stop paying any further
installments of the Base Separation Benefits. If the Executive’s employment is terminated during the Term as a result
of the Executive’s death, then the Company shall provide to the Executive’s
estate the continued payment of Executive’s then-current Base Salary for a period of twelve (12) months following the
termination date, beginning on the Company’s first regular payday following the such termination date. 

 

    	 	11	 

     

    

 

(d)            This
Section 9 sets forth the only obligations of the Company with respect to the termination
of the Executive’s employment with the Company, except as otherwise required by law, and the Executive acknowledges that,
upon the termination of his employment, he shall not be entitled to any payments or benefits which are not explicitly provided
in Section 9.

 

(e)            Upon
termination of the Executive’s employment hereunder for any reason, the Executive shall be deemed to have resigned as director
and or officer of the Company, to the extent applicable, effective as of the date of such termination, unless otherwise requested
by the Board.

 

(f)            The
provisions of this Section 9 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

10.           Section
409A. The intent of the parties to this Agreement is that the payments, compensation and benefits under this Agreement be
exempt from or comply with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (collectively,
“Section 409A”) and, in this connection, the following shall be applicable:

 

(a)            To
the greatest extent possible, this Agreement shall be interpreted to be exempt from or in compliance with Section 409A. 

 

(b)            If
any severance, compensation, or benefit required by this Agreement is to be paid in a series
of installment payments, each individual payment in the series shall be considered a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A.

 

(c)            If
any severance, compensation, or benefit required by this Agreement that constitutes “nonqualified
deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A is considered to be paid on account of “separation from service”
within the meaning of Section 409A, and the Executive is a “specified employee”
within the meaning of Section 409A, no payments of any of such severance, compensation, or benefit shall be made
until the earlier of six (6) months plus one (1) day after such separation from service or the Executive’s death (the “New
Payment Date”). The aggregate amount of any such payments that would have otherwise been paid during the period between
the date of separation from service and the New Payment Date shall be paid to the Executive or his estate in a lump sum payment
on the New Payment Date. Thereafter, any severance, compensation, or benefit required by
this Agreement that remains outstanding as of the day immediately following the New Payment
Date shall be paid without delay over the time period originally scheduled, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

    	 	12	 

     

    

 

(d)           The
provisions of this Section 10 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

11.           Section
280G.

 

(a)            Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement or any other plan, arrangement or agreement to the contrary, if any of the payments or benefits
provided or to be provided by the Company or its affiliates to the Executive or for the Executive’s benefit pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement or otherwise (“Covered Payments”) constitute parachute payments (“Parachute
Payments”) within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and would, but for this Section 11 be subject to the excise
tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision thereto) or any similar tax imposed by state or local law
or any interest or penalties with respect to such taxes (collectively, the “Excise Tax”), then prior to making
the Covered Payments, a calculation shall be made comparing (i) the Net Benefit (as defined below) to the Executive of the Covered
Payments after payment of the Excise Tax to (ii) the Net Benefit to the Executive if the Covered Payments are limited to the extent
necessary to avoid being subject to the Excise Tax. Only if the amount calculated under (i) above is less than the amount under
(ii) above will the Covered Payments be reduced to the minimum extent necessary to ensure that no portion of the Covered Payments
is subject to the Excise Tax (that amount, the “Reduced Amount”). “Net Benefit” shall mean
the present value of the Covered Payments net of all federal, state, local, foreign income, employment and excise taxes.

 

(b)            Any
such reduction shall be made in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and the following: (i) the Covered Payments which do not
constitute nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be reduced first; and (ii) all other Covered
Payments shall then be reduced as follows: (A) cash payments shall be reduced before non-cash payments; and (B) payments to be
made on a later payment date shall be reduced before payments to be made on an earlier payment date.

 

(c)            Any
determination required under this Section 11 shall be made in writing in good faith by the accounting firm that was the Company’s
independent auditor immediately before the Change of Control (the “Accounting Firm”). The Accounting Firm shall
provide detailed supporting calculations to the Company and the Executive as requested by the Company or the Executive. The Company
and the Executive shall provide the Accounting Firm with such information and documents as the Accounting Firm may reasonably request
in order to make a determination under this Section 11. For purposes of making the calculations and determinations required by
this Section 11, the Accounting Firm may rely on reasonable, good faith assumptions and approximations concerning the application
of Section 280G and Section 4999 of the Code. The Accounting Firm’s determinations shall be final and binding on the Company
and the Executive. The Company shall be responsible for all fees and expenses incurred by the Accounting Firm in connection with
the calculations required by this Section 11.

 

    	 	13	 

     

    

 

(d)            It
is possible that after the determinations and selections made pursuant to this Section 11 the Executive will receive Covered Payments
that are in the aggregate more than the amount provided under this Section 11 (“Overpayment”) or less than the
amount provided under this Section 11 (“Underpayment”).

 

(i)          In
the event that: (A) the Accounting Firm determines, based upon the assertion of a deficiency by the Internal Revenue Service against
either the Company or the Executive which the Accounting Firm believes has a high probability of success, that an Overpayment has
been made or (B) it is established pursuant to a final determination of a court or an Internal Revenue Service proceeding that
has been finally and conclusively resolved that an Overpayment has been made, then the Executive shall pay any such Overpayment
to the Company.

 

(ii)         In
the event that: (A) the Accounting Firm, based upon controlling precedent or substantial authority, determine that an Underpayment
has occurred or (B) a court of competent jurisdiction determines that an Underpayment has occurred, any such Underpayment will
be paid promptly by the Company to or for the benefit of the Executive.

 

12.           Miscellaneous.

 

(a)            This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of California, without
giving effect to its principles of conflicts of laws.

 

(b)            In
the event of any dispute arising out of, or relating to, this Agreement or the breach thereof (other than Sections 5 or
6 hereof), or regarding the interpretation thereof, the parties agree to submit any differences
to nonbinding mediation prior to pursuing resolution through the courts. The parties hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction
of the state and federal courts situated in San Francisco County, California, and agree that service of process in such court proceedings
shall be satisfactorily made upon each other if sent by registered mail addressed to the recipient at the address referred to in
Section 12(g) below. 

 

(c)            This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective heirs, legal representatives,
successors and permitted assigns.

 

(d)            This
Agreement, and the Executive’s rights and obligations hereunder, may not be assigned by the Executive. The rights and obligations
of the Company under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Company,
including any successors or assigns in connection with any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of its
business or assets.

 

(e)            This
Agreement cannot be amended orally, or by any course of conduct or dealing, but only by a written agreement signed by the parties
hereto.

 

(f)            The
failure of either party to insist upon the strict performance of any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement
shall not be construed as a waiver or relinquishment of future compliance therewith, and such terms, conditions and provisions
shall remain in full force and effect. No waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement on the part of either party shall be
effective for any purpose whatsoever unless such waiver is in writing and signed by such party.

 

    	 	14	 

     

    

 

(g)            All
notices, requests, consents and other communications, required or permitted to be given hereunder, shall be in writing and shall
be delivered personally or by an overnight courier service or sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt
requested, to the parties at the addresses set forth on the first page of this Agreement, and shall be deemed given when so delivered
personally or by overnight courier, or, if mailed, five days after the date of deposit in the United States mail. Either party
may designate another address, for receipt of notices hereunder by giving notice to the other party in accordance with this Section
12(g).

 

(h)            This
Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes
all prior agreements, arrangements and understandings, written or oral, relating to the subject matter hereof. No representation,
promise or inducement has been made by either party that is not embodied in this Agreement, and neither party shall be bound by
or liable for any alleged representation, promise or inducement not so set forth.

 

(i)            As
used in this Agreement, “affiliate” of a specified person or entity shall mean and include any person or entity controlling,
controlled by or under common control with the specified person or entity.

 

(j)            The
section headings contained herein are for reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation
of this Agreement.

 

(k)            This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left
Blank – Signature Page Follows]

 

    	 	15	 

     

    

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the parties hereto have executed this Agreement and intend it to be effective as of the Effective Date by proper person thereunto
duly authorized.

 

	 	ASSEMBLY BIOSCIENCES, INC.
	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ Derek Small
	 	Name:	Derek Small
	 	Title:	Chief Executive Officer and President
	 	 
	 	EXECUTIVE
	 	 
	 	/s/ Graham Cooper
	 	Name: Graham Cooper

 

[Signature Page to Graham Cooper Employment
Agreement]

 

     

     

    

 

EXHIBIT A

 

California Labor Code Section 2870. Application of provision
providing that employee shall assign or offer to assign rights in invention to employer.

 

(a)          Any
provision in an employment agreement which provides that an employee shall assign, or offer to assign, any of his or her rights
in an invention to his or her employer shall not apply to an invention that the employee developed entirely on his or her own time
without using the employer’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information except for those inventions that
either:

 

(1)         Relate
at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the employer’s business, or actual or demonstrably
anticipated research or development of the employer; or

 

(2)         Result
from any work performed by the employee for his employer.

 

(b)          To
the extent a provision in an employment agreement purports to require an employee to assign an invention otherwise excluded from
being required to be assigned under subdivision (a), the provision is against the public policy of this state and is unenforceable.Exhibit

Exhibit 10.3

TYSON FOODS, INC.
2000 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Amended and Restated Effective February 8, 2018)

Exhibit 10.3

TYSON FOODS, INC.
2000 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Amended and Restated Effective February 8, 2018)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	
			
	 
	Page
	

	SECTION 1 - DEFINITIONS
	1
	

	      1.1   Definitions
	1
	

	 
	 

	SECTION 2 - THE STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
	6
	

	      2.1   Purpose of the Plan
	6
	

	      2.2   Stock Subject to the Plan
	7
	

	      2.3   Administration of the Plan
	7
	

	      2.4   Eligibility and Limits
	8
	

	      2.5   Service Providers Outside the United States
	8
	

	 
	 

	SECTION 3 - TERMS OF STOCK INCENTIVES
	8
	

	      3.1   Terms and Conditions of All Stock Incentives
	8
	

	      3.2   Terms and Conditions of Options
	11
	

	               (a) Option Price
	11
	

	               (b) Option Term
	11
	

	               (c) Payment
	11
	

	               (d) Conditions to the Exercise of an Option
	12
	

	               (e) Termination of Incentive Stock Option
	12
	

	               (f) Special Provisions for Certain Substitute Options
	12
	

	               (g) No Reload Grants
	12
	

	               (h) No Repricing
	12
	

	      3.3   Terms and Conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights
	13
	

	               (a) Settlement
	13
	

	               (b) Conditions to Exercise
	13
	

	               (c) No Repricing or Buyouts
	13
	

	      3.4   Terms and Conditions of Other Stock-Based Awards
	14
	

	               (a) Payment
	14
	

	               (b) Conditions to Payment
	14
	

	               (c) Treatment of Dividends
	14
	

	               (d) Deferral of Other Stock-Based Awards
	14
	

	      3.5   Treatment of Awards Upon Termination of Employment
	15
	

	 
	 

	SECTION 4 - RESTRICTIONS ON STOCK
	15
	

	      4.1   Escrow of Shares
	16
	

	      4.2   Restrictions on Transfer
	16
	

	 
	 

	SECTION 5 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
	16
	

i

Exhibit 10.3

	
			
	      5.1   Withholding
	16
	

	      5.2   Changes in Capitalization; Merger; Liquidation
	17
	

	      5.3   Compliance with Code
	18
	

	      5.4   Right to Terminate Employment or Service Relationship
	18
	

	      5.5   Non-alienation of Benefits
	19
	

	      5.6   Restrictions on Delivery and Sale of Shares; Legends
	19
	

	      5.7   Listing and Legal Compliance
	19
	

	      5.8   Termination and Amendment of the Plan
	19
	

	      5.9   Stockholder Approval
	20
	

	      5.1   Choice of Law
	20
	

	              Appendix A
	 

ii

Exhibit 10.3

TYSON FOODS, INC.
2000 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Amended and Restated Effective February 8, 2018)

SECTION 1- DEFINITIONS

1.1    Definitions.  Whenever used herein, the masculine pronoun will be deemed to include the feminine, and the singular to include the plural, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and the following capitalized words and phrases are used herein with the meaning thereafter ascribed:

(a)    “Affiliate” means (i) any Subsidiary; (ii) an entity that directly or through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company, as determined by the Company; or (3) any entity in which the Company has such a significant interest that the Company determines it should be deemed an “Affiliate”, as determined in the sole discretion of the Company.  

(b)    “Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

(c)    “Change in Control” except as may otherwise be explicitly specified in a Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program, means any one of the following events which may occur after the date hereof:

(1)    the acquisition by any individual, entity or “group,” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act (a “Person”), of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of voting securities of the Company where such acquisition causes any such Person to own twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Section, the following shall not be deemed to result in a Change in Control, (i) any acquisition directly from the Company, unless such a Person subsequently acquires additional shares of Outstanding Voting Securities other than from the Company, in which case any such subsequent acquisition shall be deemed to be a Change in Control; or (ii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company;

(2)    a merger, consolidation, share exchange, combination, reorganization or like transaction involving the Company in which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction do not own at least fifty percent (50%) of the value or voting power of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company or its successor immediately after such transaction;

(3)    the sale or transfer (other than as security for the Company’s obligations) of more than fifty percent (50%) of the assets of the Company in any one transaction or a series of related transactions occurring within a one (1) year period in which the Company, any corporation controlled by the Company or the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to 

the transaction do not own at least fifty percent (50%) of the value or voting power of the issued and outstanding equity securities of the acquiror immediately after the transaction;

(4)    the sale or transfer of more than fifty percent (50%) of the value or voting power of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company by the holders thereof in any one transaction or a series of related transactions occurring within a one (1) year period in which the Company, any corporation controlled by the Company or the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the transaction do not own at least fifty percent (50%) of the value or voting power of the issued and outstanding equity securities of the acquiror immediately after the transaction;

(5)    within any twelve-month period the persons who were directors of the Company immediately before the beginning of such twelve-month period (the “Incumbent Directors”) shall cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors; provided that no director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest (as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act) relating to the election of directors of the Company shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director; or

(6)    the dissolution or liquidation of the Company;

provided, however, that with respect to any Stock Incentive subject to the time and form of payment rules Code Section 409A and which provides for payment due to a Change in Control, “Change in Control” shall mean “a change in ownership or effective control of the corporation, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a corporation” as defined in Code Section 409A (as may be modified under the Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program and as permitted by Code Section 409A).

(d)    “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(e)    “Committee” means the committee appointed by the Board of Directors to administer the Plan.  The Board of Directors shall consider the advisability of whether the members of the Committee shall consist solely of at least two members of the Board of Directors who are both “outside directors” as defined in Treas. Reg. § 1.162-27(e) as promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service, “non-employee directors” as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3) as promulgated under the Exchange Act, and if applicable, who satisfy the independence requirements of the national securities exchange or nationally recognized quotation or market system on which the Stock is then traded.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to Stock Incentives granted by an officer or officers of the Company and/or the Chairperson of the Committee pursuant to Section 2.3(b), the “Committee” as used in the Plan shall mean such officer or officers and/or such Chairperson, unless the context would clearly indicate otherwise.

(f)    “Company” means Tyson Foods, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

2

(g)    “Disability” unless otherwise defined by the Committee in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program, has the same meaning as provided in the long-term disability plan or policy maintained or, if applicable, most recently maintained, by the Company or, if applicable, any Affiliate of the Company for the Participant.  If no long-term disability plan or policy was ever maintained on behalf of the Participant or, if the determination of Disability relates to an Incentive Stock Option, Disability means that condition described in Code Section 22(e)(3), as amended from time to time.  In the event of a dispute, the determination of Disability will be made by the Committee and will be supported by advice of a physician competent in the area to which such Disability relates.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  with respect to any Stock Incentive subject to the time and form of payment rules Code Section 409A and which provides for payment due to a Disability, “Disability” shall mean “disability” as defined in Code Section 409A (as may be modified under the Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program and as permitted by Code Section 409A).

(h)    “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

(i)    “Exercise Price” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.2(a).

(j)    “Fair Market Value” with regard to a date means the closing price at which Stock shall have been sold on that date or the last trading date prior to that date as reported by the New York Stock Exchange and published in The Wall Street Journal.

(k)    “Incentive Stock Option” means an incentive stock option contemplated by the provisions of Code Section 422 or any successor thereto.

(l)    “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an option that is not designated as, or otherwise intended to be, an Incentive Stock Option.

(m)    “Option” means a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option.

(n)    “Other Stock-Based Award” means a Stock Incentive described in Section 3.4 that has a value that is derivative of the value of, determined by reference to a number of shares of, or determined by reference to dividends payable on, Stock and may be settled in cash or in Stock.  Other Stock-Based Awards may include, but not be limited to, grants of Stock, grants of rights to receive Stock in the future, or dividend equivalent rights.

(o)    “Over 10% Owner” means an individual who at the time an Incentive Stock Option is granted owns Company stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, determined by applying the attribution rules of Code Section 424(d).

(p)    “Participant” means an individual who receives a Stock Incentive hereunder.

3

(q)    “Performance Goals” means the measurable performance objectives, if any, established by the Committee for a Performance Period that are to be achieved with respect to a Stock Incentive granted to a Participant under the Plan. Performance Goals may be described in terms of Company-wide objectives or in terms of objectives that are related to performance of the division, Affiliate, department or function within the Company or an Affiliate in which the Participant receiving the Stock Incentive is employed or on which the Participant’s efforts have the most influence. The achievement of the Performance Goals established by the Committee for any Performance Period will be determined without regard to the effect on such Performance Goals of any acquisition or disposition by the Company of a trade or business, or of substantially all of the assets of a trade or business, during the Performance Period.  The Performance Goals established by the Committee for any Performance Period under the Plan will consist of one or more of the following:
(1)    earnings per share and/or growth in earnings per share;
(2)    operating cash flow and/or growth in operating cash flow;
(3)    cash available;
(4)    net income and/or growth in net income;
(5)    revenue and/or growth in revenue;
(6)    total shareholder return (measured as the total of the appreciation of, and dividends declared on, the Stock);
(7)    return on invested capital;
(8)    return on shareholder equity;
(9)    return on assets; 
(10)    return on common book equity;
(11)    operating income;
(12)    EBIT, EBITDA or EBITDAR; or
(13)    Company stock price performance.

The Performance Goals may be established individually, alternatively, or in any combination, and measured either quarterly, annually, or cumulatively over a period of quarters or years, on an absolute basis or relative to a pre-established target, including in relation to previous quarters’ or years’ results or to a designated comparison group.  

The Committee may appropriately adjust any evaluation of performance under a Performance Goal to remove the effect of equity compensation expense under ASC 718, amortization of acquired 

4

technology and intangibles, and significant impairments; litigation or claim judgments or settlements; the effect of changes in or provisions under tax law, accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results; accruals for restructuring and related programs; discontinued operations; gains and losses associated with the sale or closure of operations; and any items that are extraordinary, unusual in nature, non-recurring or infrequent in occurrence, except where such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the Stock Incentive under Section 162(m) of the Code.  In such case, the Committee will not make any modification of the Performance Goals or minimum acceptable level of achievement.

(r)    “Performance Period” means, with respect to a Stock Incentive, a period of time within which the Performance Goals relating to such Stock Incentive are to be measured. The Performance Period will be established by the Committee at the time the Stock Incentive is granted.

(s)    “Plan” means the Tyson Foods, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.

(t)    “Separation from Service” shall mean a termination of a Participant’s employment or other service relationship with the Company, subject to the following requirements:

(1)        in the case of a Participant who is an employee of the Company, a termination of the Participant’s employment where either (i) the Participant has ceased to perform any services for the Company and all affiliated companies that, together with the Company, constitute the “service recipient” within the meaning of Code Section 409A (collectively, the “Service Recipient”) or (ii) the level of bona fide services the Participant performs for the Service Recipient after a given date (whether as an employee or as an independent contractor) permanently decreases (excluding a decrease as a result of military leave, sick leave, or other bona fide leave of absence if the period of such leave does not exceed six months, or if longer, so long as the Participant retains a right to reemployment with the Service Recipient under an applicable statute or by contract) to no more than twenty percent (20%) of the average level of bona fide services performed for the Service Recipient (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) over the immediately preceding 36-month period (or the full period of service if the Participant has been providing services to the Service Recipient for less than 36 months); or 

(2)    in the case of a Participant who is an independent contractor engaged by the Service Recipient, a termination of the Participant’s service relationship with the Service Recipient where (i) the contract (or in the case of more than one contract, all contracts) under which services are performed for the Service Recipient expires, if the expiration constitutes a good-faith and complete termination of the contractual relationship; or (ii) with respect to amounts payable to the Participant under a Stock Incentive upon the termination of the independent contractor’s relationship with the Service Recipient, no amount will be paid to the Participant before a date that is at least twelve (12) months after the day on which the contract expires under which the Participant performs services for the Service Recipient (or, in the case of more than one contract, all such contracts expire) and no amount payable to the Participant on that date will actually be paid to the Participant if, after the expiration of the contract (or contracts) and before that date, the Participant performs services for the Service Recipient as an independent contractor or an employee; or

5

(3)    in any case, as may otherwise be permitted under Code Section 409A. 

(u)    “Stock” means the Company’s Class A $.10 par value common stock.

(v)    “Stock Appreciation Right” means a stock appreciation right described in Section 3.3.

(w)    “Stock Incentive Agreement” means a (1) written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing an award of a Stock Incentive or (2) an electronic notice of award grant in a form approved by the Company and recorded by the Company in an electronic recordkeeping system used for the purpose of tracking award grants under the Plan generally and, if required by the Committee, executed or otherwise electronically accepted by the recipient of the award in such form and manner as the Committee may require.

(x)    “Stock Incentive Program” means a written program established by the Committee, pursuant to which Stock Incentives are awarded under the Plan under uniform terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in such written program.

(y)    “Stock Incentives” means, collectively, Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, and Other Stock-Based Awards.

(z)    “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, at the time of the granting of the Option, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.

(aa)    “Termination of Employment” means the termination of the employee-employer relationship between a Participant and the Company and its Affiliates, regardless of whether severance or similar payments are made to the Participant for any reason, including, but not by way of limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, Disability or retirement.  The Committee will, in its absolute discretion, determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to a Termination of Employment, including, but not by way of limitation, the question of whether a leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Employment.

SECTION 2- THE STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

2.1    Purpose of the Plan.  The Plan is intended to (a) provide incentive to officers, employees, directors, consultants and other service providers of the Company and its Affiliates to stimulate their efforts toward the continued success of the Company and to operate and manage the business in a manner that will provide for the long-term growth and profitability of the Company; (b) encourage stock ownership by officers, employees, directors, consultants and other service providers by providing them with a means to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company, acquire 

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shares of Stock, or to receive compensation which is based upon appreciation in the value of Stock; and (c) provide a means of obtaining, rewarding and retaining such key personnel.

2.2    Stock Subject to the Plan.  Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.2, 90,000,000 shares of Stock (the “Maximum Plan Shares”) are hereby reserved exclusively for issuance pursuant to Stock Incentives, all or any of which may be pursuant to any one or more Stock Incentives, including without limitation, Incentive Stock Options.  At no time may the Company have outstanding Stock Incentives and shares of Stock issued in respect of Stock Incentives under the Plan in excess of the Maximum Plan Shares.  Shares of Stock shall not be deemed to have been issued pursuant to the Plan with respect to any portion of an award that is settled in cash. The shares of Stock attributable to the nonvested, unpaid, unexercised, unconverted or otherwise unsettled portion of any Stock Incentive that is forfeited or cancelled or expires or terminates for any reason without becoming vested, paid, exercised, converted or otherwise settled in full will again be available for purposes of the Plan.  For purposes of determining the number of shares of Stock issued upon the exercise, settlement or grant of a Stock Incentive under this Section, (a) any shares of Stock withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations or the Exercise Price shall be considered issued under the Plan and (b) the settlement of a Stock Appreciation Right shall be treated as a settlement in shares of Stock without regard to whether settlement was in cash or shares of Stock.  

2.3    Administration of the Plan.  

(a)    The Plan is administered by the Committee.  The Committee has full authority in its discretion to determine the officers, employees, directors, consultants and service providers of the Company or its Affiliates to whom Stock Incentives will be granted and the terms and provisions of Stock Incentives, subject to the Plan.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee has full and conclusive authority to interpret the Plan; to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; to correct any defect or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or between the Plan and any Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program; to determine the terms and provisions of the respective Stock Incentive Agreements and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the proper administration of the Plan.  The Committee’s determinations under the Plan need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, awards under the Plan (whether or not such persons are similarly situated).  The Committee’s decisions are final and binding on all Participants.

(b)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, the Board of Directors or the Committee, may by resolution authorize one or more officers of the Company and/or the Chairman of the Committee to do one or more of the following:  (1) designate individuals (other than officers or directors of the Company or any Affiliate who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act) to receive Stock Incentives under the Plan; (2) determine the number of shares of Stock subject to such Stock Incentives; provided however, that the resolution shall specify the total number of shares of Stock that may be granted subject to such Stock Incentives; (3) interpret the provisions of a Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program; and / or (4) determine the treatment of Stock Incentives upon a Termination of Employment or Separation from Service.

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2.4    Eligibility and Limits.  Stock Incentives may be granted only to officers, employees, directors, consultants and other service providers of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company; provided, however, that an Incentive Stock Option may only be granted to an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary.  In the case of Incentive Stock Options, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as at the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted) of Stock with respect to which stock options intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422 become exercisable for the first time by an individual during any calendar year under all plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries may not exceed $100,000; provided further, that if the limitation is exceeded, the Incentive Stock Option(s) which cause the limitation to be exceeded will be treated as Nonqualified Stock Option(s).  

2.5    Service Providers Outside of the United States.  Without amending the Plan, the Committee shall have the power and authority to determine which Affiliates shall be covered by this Plan and which service providers outside the United States of America shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.  The Committee may adopt, amend or rescind rules, procedures, or sub-plans relating to the operation and administration of the Plan to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws, procedures, and practices.  Any such rules, procedures, or sub-plans may be reflected on Appendix A, as updated by the Company from time to time.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee is specifically authorized to adopt rules, procedures, and sub-plans with provisions that limit or modify rights on death, disability, or retirement or on Separation from Service or Termination of Employment; available methods of exercise or settlement of a Stock Incentive; payment of income, social insurance contributions and payroll taxes; the withholding procedures and handling of any stock certificates or other indicia of ownership which vary with local requirements.  Any such Stock Incentive shall conform to the requirements set forth in the Plan, except to the limited extent a modification is necessary for the Stock Incentive to comply with an applicable local law.

SECTION 3- TERMS OF STOCK INCENTIVES

3.1    Terms and Conditions of All Stock Incentives.

(a)    The number of shares of Stock as to which a Stock Incentive may be granted will be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, subject to the provisions of Section 2.2 as to the total number of shares available for grants under the Plan and subject to the limits on Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and other Stock Incentives as described in the following sentence.  To the extent required under Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder for compensation to be treated as qualified performance-based compensation, the maximum number of shares of Stock with respect to which (1) Options, (2) Stock Appreciation Rights and (3) Other Stock-Based Awards that are not settled in cash (to the extent they are granted with the intent that they qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code) may be granted during any calendar year to any employee may not exceed 1,000,000, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.2 and the maximum aggregate dollar amount that may be paid in any calendar year to any employee with respect to Other Stock-Based Awards that are payable in cash may not exceed Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000).  In applying this limitation, if an Option or Stock 

8

Appreciation Right, or any portion thereof, granted to an employee is cancelled or repriced for any reason, then the shares of Stock attributable to such cancellation or repricing either shall continue to be counted as an outstanding grant or shall be counted as a new grant of shares of Stock, as the case may be, against the affected employee’s 1,000,000 share limit for the appropriate calendar year.

(b)    Each Stock Incentive will either be evidenced by a Stock Incentive Agreement in such form and containing such terms, conditions and restrictions as the Committee may determine to be appropriate, including without limitation, Performance Goals or other performance criteria, if any, that must be achieved as a condition to vesting or settlement of the Stock Incentive, or be made subject to the terms of a Stock Incentive Program, containing such terms, conditions and restrictions as the Committee may determine to be appropriate, including without limitation, Performance Goals or other performance criteria, if any, that must be achieved as a condition to vesting or payment of the Stock Incentive.  Each Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program is subject to the terms of the Plan and any provisions contained in the Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program that are inconsistent with the Plan are null and void.  Other than Stock Incentives granted as inducements to the hiring of an eligible service provider or Stock Incentives subject to performance criteria, any Stock Incentive granted to a Participant who is an employee shall be subject to a minimum vesting period of twelve (12) months, with permissible exceptions for death, Disability, retirement, an involuntary termination of service, extraordinary corporate events such as a Change in Control, or other extenuating circumstance, as may be set forth by the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program or, in the absence of such provision, as the Committee may subsequently determine.

(c)    Performance Goals, if any, shall be established before twenty-five percent (25%) of the Performance Period has elapsed, but in no event later than within ninety (90) days after the first day of a Performance Period. At the time any Performance Goals are established, the outcome as to whether the Performance Goals will be met must be substantially uncertain. If any Performance Goals are established as a condition to vesting or settlement of a Stock Incentive and such Performance Goal is not based solely on the increase in the Fair Market Value of the Stock, the Committee shall certify in writing that the applicable Performance Goals were in fact satisfied before such Stock Incentive is vested or settled, as applicable, unless the Performance Goal is based solely on the increase in value of the Stock.  Each Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program is subject to the terms of the Plan and any provisions contained in the Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program that are inconsistent with the Plan are null and void. To the extent a Stock Incentive is subject to Performance Goals with the intent that the Stock Incentive constitute performance-based compensation under Code Section 162(m), the Committee shall comply with all applicable requirements under Code Section 162(m) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder in granting, modifying, and settling such Stock Incentive.  The Committee may, but is not required to, structure any Stock Incentive so as to qualify as performance-based compensation under Code Section 162(m) and Stock Incentives may be granted subject to performance criteria that are not intended to constitute Performance Goals. 

(d)    The date a Stock Incentive is granted will be the date on which the Committee has approved the terms and conditions of the Stock Incentive and has determined the recipient of 

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the Stock Incentive and the number of shares covered by the Stock Incentive, and has taken all such other actions necessary to complete the grant of the Stock Incentive.

(e)    Any Stock Incentive may be granted in connection with all or any portion of a previously or contemporaneously granted Stock Incentive.  Exercise or vesting of a Stock Incentive granted in connection with another Stock Incentive may result in a pro rata surrender or cancellation of any related Stock Incentive, as specified in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program.

(f)    Unless otherwise permitted by the Committee, Stock Incentives are not transferable or assignable except as provided in this Section.  Following a Participant’s death, Stock Incentives shall be transferred or assigned to the Designated Beneficiary; or if the Participant does not have a Designated Beneficiary, to the Participant’s surviving spouse; or if the Participant is unmarried, to the Participant’s estate.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee shall not permit Incentive Stock Options to be transferred or assigned except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution governing the State in which the Participant was domiciled at the time of the Participant’s death.  Stock Incentives are exercisable, during the Participant’s lifetime, only by the Participant or by the legal representative of the Participant in the event of the Participant’s Disability.  In the event of the death of the Participant, Stock Incentives are only exercisable by the Designated Beneficiary; or if the Participant does not have a Designated Beneficiary, by the Participant’s surviving spouse; or if the Participant is unmarried, by the legal representative of the Participant’s estate if one is appointed within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s death; or if no such legal representative is appointed, by the person(s) taking under the laws of descent and distribution governing the State in which the Participant was domiciled at the time of the Participant’s death.  For purposes of this Section, the Participant’s ‘Designated Beneficiary’ is the beneficiary of the Participant designated in writing in the manner and within the time frame provided by the Committee.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 3.1(f) shall not preclude transfer to the Company and transfer to facilitate the settlement of Stock Incentives consistent with the terms of the Plan and applicable law.

(g)    After the date of grant of a Stock Incentive, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, modify the terms and conditions of a Stock Incentive, except to the extent that such modification would be inconsistent with other provisions of the Plan or would adversely affect the rights of a Participant under the Stock Incentive (except as otherwise permitted under the Plan or Stock Incentive) or would be inconsistent with other provisions of the Plan; including the acceleration of the first twelve (12) months of a vesting period other than in accordance with Section 3.1(b).  

(h)    In connection with the settlement of any Stock Incentive, the Committee may reduce the amount of any settlement proceeds otherwise due the Participant by any then outstanding indebtedness owed by the Participant to the Company or any Affiliate; provided, however, that no offset shall be applied if the action would cause adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code.

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3.2    Terms and Conditions of Options.  Each Option granted under the Plan must be evidenced by a Stock Incentive Agreement.  At the time any Option is granted, the Committee will determine whether the Option is to be an Incentive Stock Option described in Code Section 422 or a Nonqualified Stock Option, and the Option must be clearly identified as to its status as an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option.  Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to employees of the Company or any Subsidiary.  At the time any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan is exercised, the Company will be entitled to legend the certificates representing the shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the Option to clearly identify them as representing the shares purchased upon the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option.  An Incentive Stock Option may only be granted within ten (10) years from the earlier of the date the Plan is adopted or approved by the Company’s stockholders.

(a)    Option Price.  Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.2 and the other provisions of this Section 3.2, the exercise price (the “Exercise Price”) per share of Stock purchasable under any Option must be as set forth in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement, but in no event may it be less than the Fair Market Value on the date the Option is granted.  With respect to each grant of an Incentive Stock Option to a Participant who is an Over 10% Owner, the Exercise Price may not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date the Option is granted.

(b)    Option Term.  Any Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who is not an Over 10% Owner is not exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years after the date the Option is granted.  Any Incentive Stock Option granted to an Over 10% Owner is not exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years after the date the Option is granted.  The term of any Nonqualified Stock Option must be as specified in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement.

(c)    Payment.  Payment for all shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option will be made in any form or manner authorized by the Committee in the Stock Incentive Agreement or by amendment thereto, including, but not limited to, cash or, if the Stock Incentive Agreement provides, but in any case subject to such procedures or restrictions as the Committee may impose:

(1)    by delivery or deemed delivery to the Company of a number of shares of Stock owned by the holder having an aggregate Fair Market Value of not less than the product of the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of shares the Participant intends to purchase upon exercise of the Option on the date of delivery; 

(2)    in a cashless exercise through a broker; or 

(3)    by having a number of shares of Stock withheld, the Fair Market Value of which as of the date of exercise is sufficient to satisfy the Exercise Price.  

In its discretion, the Committee also may authorize (at the time an Option is granted or thereafter) Company financing to assist the Participant as to payment of the Exercise Price on such terms as may be offered by the Committee in its discretion.  Payment must be made at the time that the Option or any part thereof is exercised, and no shares may be issued or delivered upon exercise of 

11

an option until full payment has been made by the Participant.  The holder of an Option, as such, has none of the rights of a stockholder.

(d)    Conditions to the Exercise of an Option.  Each Option granted under the Plan is exercisable by whom, at such time or times, or upon the occurrence of such event or events, and in such amounts, as the Committee specifies in the Stock Incentive Agreement; provided, however, that subsequent to the grant of an Option, subject to the limitation in Section 3.1(b), the Committee, at any time before complete termination of such Option, may accelerate the time or times at which such Option may be exercised in whole or in part, including, without limitation, upon a Change in Control and may permit the Participant or any other designated person to exercise the Option, or any portion thereof, for all or part of the remaining Option term, notwithstanding any provision of the Stock Incentive Agreement to the contrary.

(e)    Termination of Incentive Stock Option.  With respect to an Incentive Stock Option, in the event of Termination of Employment of a Participant, the Option or portion thereof held by the Participant which is unexercised will expire, terminate, and become unexercisable no later than the expiration of three (3) months after the date of Termination of Employment; provided, however, that in the case of a holder whose Termination of Employment is due to death or Disability, one (1) year will be substituted for such three (3) month period; provided, further that such time limits may be exceeded by the Committee under the terms of the grant, in which case, the Incentive Stock Option will be a Nonqualified Stock Option if it is exercised after the time limits that would otherwise apply.  For purposes of this Subsection (e), Termination of Employment of the Participant will not be deemed to have occurred if the Participant is employed by another corporation (or a parent or subsidiary corporation of such other corporation) which has assumed the Incentive Stock Option of the Participant in a transaction to which Code Section 424(a) is applicable.

(f)    Special Provisions for Certain Substitute Options.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3.2, any Option issued in substitution for an option previously issued by another entity, which substitution occurs in connection with a transaction to which Code Section 424(a) is applicable, may provide for an exercise price computed in accordance with such Code Section and the regulations thereunder and may contain such other terms and conditions as the Committee may prescribe to cause such substitute Option to contain as nearly as possible the same terms and conditions (including the applicable vesting and termination provisions) as those contained in the previously issued option being replaced thereby.

(g)    No Reload Grants.   Options shall not be granted under the Plan in consideration for and shall not be conditioned upon the delivery of shares of Stock to the Company in payment of the exercise price and/or tax withholding obligation under any other option held by a Participant.

(h)    No Repricing.   Except as provided in Section 5.2, without the approval of the Company’s stockholders the Exercise Price of an Option may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, after the grant of the Option, including any surrender of the Option in consideration of, or in exchange for: (1) the grant of a new Option having an Exercise Price below that of the Option that was surrendered; (2) Stock; (3) cash; or (4) any other Stock Incentive. 

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3.3    Terms and Conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights.  Each Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan must be evidenced by a Stock Incentive Agreement.  A Stock Appreciation Right entitles the Participant to receive the excess of (1) the Fair Market Value of a specified or determinable number of shares of the Stock at the time of payment or exercise over (2) a specified or determinable price which, in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Option, may not be less than the Exercise Price for that number of shares subject to that Option.  A Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with a Stock Incentive may only be exercised to the extent that the related Stock Incentive has not been exercised, paid or otherwise settled.

(a)    Settlement.  Upon settlement of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Company must pay to the Participant the appreciation in cash or shares of Stock (valued at the aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of payment or exercise) as provided in the Stock Incentive Agreement or, in the absence of such provision, as the Committee may determine.

(b)    Conditions to Exercise.  Each Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan is exercisable or payable at such time or times, or upon the occurrence of such event or events, and in such amounts, as the Committee specifies in the Stock Incentive Agreement; provided, however, that subsequent to the grant of a Stock Appreciation Right, subject to the limitation in Section 3.1(b), the Committee, at any time before complete termination of such Stock Appreciation Right, may accelerate the time or times at which such Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised or paid in whole or in part.

(c)    No Repricing or Buyouts.   Except as provided in Section 5.2, without the approval of the Company’s stockholders, the price of a Stock Appreciation Right may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, after the grant of the Stock Appreciation Right, including any surrender of the  Stock Appreciation Right in consideration of, or in exchange for: (1) the grant of a new Stock Appreciation Right having a price below that of the Stock Appreciation Right that was surrendered; (2) Stock; (3) cash, or (4) any other Stock Incentive.

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3.4    Terms and Conditions of Other Stock-Based Awards.  An Other Stock-Based Award shall entitle the Participant to receive, at a specified future date, payment of an amount equal to all or a portion of any of the following: (i) a number of, or the value of, a specified or determinable number of shares of Stock granted by the Committee, (ii) a percentage or multiple of the value of a specified number of shares of Stock determined by the Committee, or (iii) dividend equivalents on a specified, or a determinable number, or a percentage or multiple of a specified number, of shares of Stock determined by the Committee.  At the time of the grant, the Committee must determine the specified number of shares of Stock or the percentage or multiple of the specified number of shares of Stock, as may be applicable; and the Performance Goals or other performance criteria, if any, applicable to the determination of the ultimate payment value of the Other Stock-Based Award. The Committee may provide for an alternate percentage or multiple under certain specified conditions.

(a)    Payment.  Payment in respect of Other Stock-Based Awards may be made by the Company in cash or shares of Stock (valued at Fair Market Value as of the date payment is owed) as provided in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program or, in the absence of such provision, as the Committee may determine.

(b)    Conditions to Payment.  Each Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan shall be payable at such time or times, or upon the occurrence of such event or events, and in such amounts, as the Committee may specify in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program; provided, however, that subsequent to the grant of an Other Stock-Based Award, subject to the limitation in Section 3.1(b), the Committee, at any time before complete termination of such Other Stock-Based Award, may accelerate the time or times at which such Other Stock-Based Award may be paid in whole or in part.

(c)    Treatment of Dividends.   Any dividends payable on Other Stock-Based Awards issued and outstanding shall not be paid to the recipient Participant, if at all, any earlier than the date the underlying shares of Stock become earned and/or vested.

(d)    Deferral of Other Stock-Based Awards.   The Committee may, but need not, permit a Participant to defer receipt of the settlement proceeds in satisfaction of earned Other-Stock-Based Awards that constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, provided that any such deferral shall be administered in good faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code and the guidance thereunder, including the following rules:

(1)    A Participant may elect to defer settlement of such an Other Stock-Based Award by making a valid, irrevocable election prior to: (i) six months before the end of the applicable performance period if it qualifies as “performance based compensation” (within the meaning of Code Section 409A), provided that such election is made before the amount of the compensation is readily ascertainable, or (ii) in any other case, thirty (30) days following the date of its grant, provided that the election is made at least twelve (12) months in advance of the earliest date on which the Other Stock-Based Award may otherwise vest (disregarding for this purpose any accelerated vesting that may occur as a result of death, a “disability” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), or a “change in the ownership or effective control or in the ownership of a 

14

substantial portion of the assets of the corporation” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code));

(2)    A Participant may elect to have such Other Stock-Based Award settled at such time(s) or upon such event(s) as the Committee may allow provided such time((s) and event(s) are permitted pursuant to Section 409A of the Code;

(3)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to a Participant who, as of the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service, is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury regulations and other guidance thereunder, any settlement of a deferred Other-Stock-Based Award on account of the Participant’s Separation from Service may not be made earlier than six (6) months following such Participant’s Separation from Service, except that in the event of any Participant’s earlier death, such deferred Other Stock-Based Award shall be paid within thirty (30) days after the Company receives notice of the Participant’s death; an

(4)    The Committee is authorized to take such action as it deems necessary and reasonable to avoid the application of the additional tax described in Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the Code to any Other Stock-Based Award deferred hereunder.

(5)    Other Stock-Based Awards deferred pursuant to this Section 3.4(d) shall continue to be credited in the number of shares of Stock subject to the Other Stock-Based Award that are being deferred and shall be settled in the same form as provided for in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement.

3.5    Treatment of Awards Upon Termination of Service.  Except as otherwise provided by Plan Section 3.2(e), any award under this Plan to a Participant who has experienced a Termination of Employment, Separation from Service, or termination of some other service relationship with the Company and its Affiliates may be cancelled, accelerated, paid or continued, as provided in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program, or, in the absence of such provision, as the Committee may determine; provided, however, that the Committee shall not exercise its discretion to accelerate the vesting of any Stock Incentive within the first twelve (12) months of a vesting period other than in accordance with Section 3.1(b)  The portion of any award exercisable in the event of continuation or the amount of any payment due under a continued award may be adjusted by the Committee to reflect all or a portion of the Participant’s period of service or such other factors as the Committee determines are relevant to its decision to continue the award.

SECTION 4- RESTRICTIONS ON STOCK

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4.1    Escrow of Shares.  Any certificates representing the shares of Stock issued under the Plan will be issued in the Participant’s name, but, if the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program so provides, the shares of Stock will be held by a custodian designated by the Committee (the “Custodian”).  Each applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program providing for transfer of shares of Stock to the Custodian may require a Participant to complete an irrevocable stock power appointing the Custodian or the Custodian’s designee as the attorney-in-fact for the Participant for the term specified in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program, with full power and authority in the Participant’s name, place and stead to transfer, assign and convey to the Company any shares of Stock held by the Custodian for such Participant, if the Participant forfeits the shares under the terms of the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program.  During the period that the Custodian holds the shares subject to this Section, the Participant is entitled to all rights, except as provided in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program, applicable to shares of Stock not so held.  Any dividends declared on shares of Stock held by the Custodian must as provided in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program, be paid directly to the Participant or, in the alternative, be retained by the Custodian or by the Company until the expiration of the term specified in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program and shall then be delivered, together with any proceeds, with the shares of Stock to the Participant or to the Company, as applicable.

4.2    Restrictions on Transfer.  The Participant does not have the right to make or permit to exist any disposition of the shares of Stock issued pursuant to the Plan except as provided in the Plan or the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program.  Any disposition of the shares of Stock issued under the Plan by the Participant not made in accordance with the Plan or the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program will be void.  The Company will not recognize, or have the duty to recognize, any disposition not made in accordance with the Plan and the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program, and the shares so transferred will continue to be bound by the Plan and the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program.

SECTION 5- GENERAL PROVISIONS

5.1    Withholding.  The Company must deduct from all cash distributions under the Plan any taxes required to be withheld by federal, state or local government.  Whenever the Company proposes or is required to issue or transfer shares of Stock under the Plan or upon the vesting of any Stock Incentive, the Company has the right to require the recipient to remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state and local withholding tax requirements prior to the delivery of any certificate or certificates for such shares or the vesting of such Stock Incentive pursuant to such procedures as the Committee may establish.  A Participant may satisfy the withholding tax in cash, cash equivalents, or, if and to the extent the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement, Stock Incentive Program, or Committee procedure so provides, a Participant may elect to have the number of shares of Stock he is to receive reduced by, or tender back to the Company, the smallest number of whole shares of Stock which, when multiplied by the Fair Market Value of 

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the shares of Stock, is sufficient to satisfy federal, state and local, if any, tax withholding obligation arising from exercise or payment of a Stock Incentive.

5.2    Changes in Capitalization; Merger; Liquidation.

(a)    The number and kind of shares of Stock reserved for the grant of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and Other Stock-Based Awards; the number and kind of shares of Stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise, settlement, vesting, grant, or payment as applicable, of each outstanding Option, Stock Appreciation Right, and Other Stock-Based Award; the Exercise Price of each outstanding Option; the specified number and kind of shares of Stock to which each outstanding Stock Appreciation Right and Other Stock-Based Award pertains; the total number of shares of Stock that may be subject to Stock Incentives granted by one or more officers of the Company and/or the Chairperson of the Committee; the maximum number of shares as to which Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, and other Stock Incentives may be granted to an employee during any calendar year; and the threshold price of each Stock Appreciation Right, shall be proportionately adjusted for any nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and the holders of capital stock of the Company that causes the per share value of the shares of Stock underlying a Stock Incentive to change, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spinoff, rights offering, or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend (each, an “Equity Restructuring”).

(b)    Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event of a merger, consolidation, reorganization, extraordinary dividend, sale of substantially all of the Company’s assets, other change in capital structure of the Company, tender offer for shares of Stock, or a Change in Control, that in each case does not constitute an Equity Restructuring, the Committee may make such adjustments with respect to Stock Incentives and take such other action as it deems necessary or appropriate, including, without limitation, the substitution of new stock incentives by the Company or by a third party, the settlement of any Stock Incentive in cash or cash equivalents, the acceleration of Stock Incentives, the removal of restrictions on outstanding Stock Incentives, other adjustments to outstanding Stock Incentives or the termination of outstanding Stock Incentives in exchange for the cash value, if any, determined in good faith by the Committee of the vested and/or unvested portion of the Stock Incentives, all as may be provided in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement or Stock Incentive Program or, if not expressly addressed therein, as the Committee subsequently may determine in its sole discretion.  The Committee may also use the Plan to assume stock incentives not originally granted under the Plan.  Any adjustment pursuant to this Section 5.2 may provide, in the Committee’s discretion, for the elimination without payment therefor of any fractional shares that might otherwise become subject to any Stock Incentive, but except as set forth in this Section may not otherwise diminish the then value of the Stock Incentive.

(c)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, in taking any action pursuant to Subsection (a) or (b) with respect to a Nonqualified Stock Option or a Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee shall consider any provisions of Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder that are required to be followed as a condition of the Nonqualified Stock Option and the Stock Appreciation Right not being treated as the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right or a change in the form of payment.  Any adjustment described in the preceding 

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sentence may include a substitution in whole or in part of other equity securities of the issuer in lieu of the shares of Stock that are subject to the Stock Incentive.

(d)    The existence of the Plan and the Stock Incentives granted pursuant to the Plan shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, reclassification, reorganization or other change in its capital or business structure, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of debt or equity securities having preferences or priorities as to the Stock or the rights thereof, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any sale or transfer of all or any part of its business or assets, or any other corporate act or proceeding.

5.3    Compliance with Code.  

(a)    Code Section 162(m).    All Stock Incentives subject to Performance Goals and intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code shall be construed in such manner as to effectuate that intent.

(b)    Code Section 422.    All Incentive Stock Options to be granted hereunder are intended to comply with Code Section 422, and all provisions of the Plan and all Incentive Stock Options granted hereunder shall be construed in such manner as to effectuate that intent.

(c)    Code Section 409A.    Except to the extent provided otherwise by the Committee, Stock Incentives under the Plan are intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (and the Treasury Department guidance and regulations issued thereunder) so as to avoid the imposition of any additional taxes or penalties under Code Section 409A.  If the Committee determines that a Stock Incentive, Stock Incentive Agreement, Stock Incentive Program, payment, distribution, deferral election, transaction or any other action or arrangement contemplated by the provisions of the Plan would, if undertaken, cause a Participant to become subject to any additional taxes or other penalties under Code Section 409A, then unless the Committee provides otherwise, such Stock Incentive, Stock Incentive Agreement, Stock Incentive Program, payment, distribution, deferral election, transaction or other action or arrangement shall not be given effect to the extent it causes such result and the related provisions of the Plan, Stock Incentive Agreement, and / or Stock Incentive Program will be deemed modified, or, if necessary, suspended in order to comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A to the extent determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case without the consent of or notice to the Participant.

5.4    Right to Terminate Employment or Service Relationship.  Nothing in the Plan or in any Stock Incentive Agreement confers upon any Participant the right to continue as an officer, employee, director or service provider of the Company or any of its Affiliates or affect the right of the Company or any of its Affiliates to terminate the Participant’s employment or service relationship at any time.

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5.5    Non-alienation of Benefits.  Other than as specifically provided with regard to the death of a Participant, no benefit under the Plan may be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge; and any attempt to do so shall be void.  No such benefit may, prior to receipt by the Participant, be in any manner liable for or subject to the debts, contracts, liabilities, engagements or torts of the Participant.

5.6    Restrictions on Delivery and Sale of Shares; Legends.  Each Stock Incentive is subject to the condition that if at any time the Committee, in its discretion, shall determine that the listing, registration or qualification of the shares covered by such Stock Incentive upon any securities exchange or under any state or federal law is necessary or desirable as a condition of or in connection with the granting of such Stock Incentive or the purchase or delivery of shares thereunder, the delivery of any or all shares pursuant to such Stock Incentive may be withheld unless and until such listing, registration or qualification shall have been effected.  If a registration statement is not in effect under the Securities Act of 1933 or any applicable state securities laws with respect to the shares of Stock purchasable or otherwise deliverable under Stock Incentives then outstanding, the Committee may require, as a condition of exercise of any Option or as a condition to any other delivery of Stock pursuant to a Stock Incentive, that the Participant or other recipient of a Stock Incentive represent, in writing, that the shares received pursuant to the Stock Incentive are being acquired for investment and not with a view to distribution and agree that the shares will not be disposed of except pursuant to an effective registration statement, unless the Company shall have received an opinion of counsel that such disposition is exempt from such requirement under the Securities Act of 1933 and any applicable state securities laws.  The Company may include on certificates representing shares delivered pursuant to a Stock Incentive such legends referring to the foregoing representations or restrictions or any other applicable restrictions on resale as the Company, in its discretion, shall deem appropriate.

5.7    Listing and Legal Compliance.  The Committee may suspend the exercise or payment of any Stock Incentive so long as it determines that securities exchange listing or registration or qualification under any securities laws is required in connection therewith and has not been completed on terms acceptable to the Committee.

5.8    Termination and Amendment of the Plan.  The Board of Directors at any time may amend or terminate the Plan without stockholder approval; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may condition any amendment on the approval of stockholders of the Company if such approval is necessary or advisable with respect to tax, securities or other applicable laws.  No such termination or amendment without the consent of the holder of a Stock Incentive may adversely affect the rights of the Participant under such Stock Incentive, unless required to comply with any provision of the Code, applicable securities laws, or the rules of any exchange upon which the Company’s Stock is listed.  Any termination of the Plan involving the accelerated settlement of Stock Incentives subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Code shall be effected in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, including Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix) or any successor guidance.

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5.9    Stockholder Approval.  The Plan must be submitted to the stockholders of the Company for their approval within twelve (12) months before or after the adoption of the Plan by the Board of Directors of the Company.  If such approval is not obtained, any Stock Incentive granted hereunder will be void.

5.10    Choice of Law.  The laws of the State of Delaware govern the Plan, to the extent not preempted by federal law, without reference to the principles of conflict of laws.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has executed this Plan on this 8th day of February, 2018.

TYSON FOODS, INC.

By: /s/ Mary Oleksiuk    

Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer    
C137668.0257030
10387260.4

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Exhibit 10.3

Appendix A

Rules, Procedures, and Sub-Plans for Service Providers Outside of the United States

United Kingdom

For purposes of delivering Stock Incentives to persons located in the United Kingdom, only an employee who is on the payroll and performs duties as a bona fide employee of a United Kingdom-registered Affiliate shall be eligible to be a Participant hereunder.

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