EXHIBIT 99
H.J. Heinz Company
Board of Directors'
Guidelines on Political Contributions

No Company or subsidiary funds, facilities
or services shall be used for political
contributions of any kind in support of
or in opposition to:
 . any political party or political committee,
 . any candidate for office of any government
  - state, federal or local, or
 . any initiative, recall or referendum appear-
  ing on the ballot for a special or general
  election at any level of government relating
  to a candidate or office holder. This prohibi-
  tion is absolute and applies to all elections
  or political candidates, campaigns or com-
  mittees whether or not contributions might
  be lawful under the laws of any particular
  state or country wherein the Company or
  a subsidiary operates; except that the
  Company may;
  . pay the costs of establishing, adminis-
    tering and soliciting contributions to
    political action committees established
    under applicable law;
  . contribute funds to non-profit organiza-
    tions, provided such funds are not used
    to influence election campaigns, and
    such contribution has been pre-cleared
    with the Chairman of the Public Issues
    Committee; and
  . contribute funds in equal amounts
    to both the Republican National
    Committee Non-Federal Account and
    the Democratic National Committee
    Non-Federal Account in a manner that
    is not prohibited by the Federal Election
    Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, or
    the regulations of the Federal Election
    Commission, provided the total amount
    of such contributions is approved by the 
    Public Issues Committee.*


"Political contributions" include but are not
limited to subscriptions, membership in
associations or committees whose purpose
it is to support or oppose political parties or
committees, candidates for public office or
any initiative, recall or referendum, loans of
any sort, purchase of tickets for any event in
support of or in opposition to any political party
or committee, candidate for public office or
any initiative, recall or referendum, purchase of
advertising space or furnishing of any supplies
or performing services for or against any politi-
cal organization, committee candidate, public
official or any initiative, recall or referendum.

Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit
individual officers or employees of the
Company or a subsidiary from contributing
their personal funds or their personal free time
to any political candidate or party, but under
no circumstances shall such officers or
employees be reimbursed for such contribu-
tions or be granted time off the job for such
activity; nor prohibit the Company or a
subsidiary from contributing funds to a non-
political organization that opposes or supports
a ballot, initiative or referendum (unrelated to a 
specific candidate or office holder) that could,
in the opinion of management, adversely affect
the business of the Company.

Political Contributions

The Company made equal contributions
of $5,000 to each of the Republican and
Democratic National Committees' Non-Federal
Accounts since the publication of the 1997
H.J. Heinz Company annual report.

*Effective April 29, 1998, the Board of Directors of
the Company amended the Guidelines on Political
Contributions by deleting this subparagraph, and accordingly
eliminated the general authorization to contribute funds in
equal amounts to the Republican and Democratic National
Committees' Non-Federal Accounts.