Acquisitions, Dispositions And Discontinued Operations (Amount Of Identifiable Assets Disposed And Liabilities Relinquished) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 01, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Nov. 27, 2018	Nov. 15, 2018
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Current liabilities		$ (418,936)
Fleischmann's Vinegar [Member] | Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash			$ 2,107
Accounts receivable, net			16,142
Inventory			15,167
Prepaid expenses and other			853
Property and equipment			64,552
Other assets			79,389
Current liabilities			(8,837)
Deferred tax liabilities			(26,617)
Total identifiable net assets disposed			142,756
Goodwill			142,002
Net assets disposed			$ 284,758
Bluffton, Lakota and Riga Ethanol Plants [Member] | Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Inventory				$ 36,812
Prepaid expenses and other				189
Property and equipment				184,970
Other assets				1,717
Current liabilities				(746)
Other liabilities				(4,706)
Total identifiable net assets disposed				218,236
Goodwill				6,188
Net assets disposed				$ 224,424
Green Plains Cattle Company LLC [Member] | Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash	$ 2
Accounts receivable, net	17,920
Inventory	387,534
Derivative financial instruments	48,189
Property and equipment	71,678
Other assets	2,291
Current liabilities	(49,297)
Short-term notes payable and other borrowings	(38)
Current maturities of long-term debt	(324,028)
Long-term debt	(80)
Other liabilities	(403)
Total identifiable net assets disposed	$ 153,768