Segment Information (Summary Of Financial Data) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Sep. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	[1]	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	[1]	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	[1]	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	[1]	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) property		Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	[1]	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	[1]	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	[1]	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 715,677		$ 632,350		$ 630,570		$ 438,641		$ 583,508	[1]	$ 789,048		$ 807,709		$ 803,667		$ 2,417,238	$ 2,983,932	$ 3,289,475
Cost of goods sold																		2,384,947	2,806,968	3,021,182
Operating income (loss)		$ (14,922)		$ (42,365)		$ (46,645)		$ (38,638)		$ 102,928	[1]	$ (3,785)		$ 3,596		$ (12,785)		(142,570)	89,954	23,748
Depreciation and amortization																		72,127	98,258	103,582
Capital expenditures																		76,472	$ 38,343	47,999
Number of ethanol plants sold										3									3
Gain on disposal of assets										$ 150,400									$ 150,351
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		2,520,053	3,111,486	3,426,334
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		(102,815)	(127,554)	(136,859)
Cost of goods sold																		(103,904)	(124,270)	(136,744)
Operating income (loss)																		1,188	(3,110)	(61)
Ethanol Production [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		1,700,715	2,120,661	2,507,673
Ethanol Production [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		1,700,615	2,120,475	2,507,589
Cost of goods sold																		1,791,099	2,118,787	2,434,001
Operating income (loss)																		(178,575)	(111,823)	(45,074)
Depreciation and amortization																		63,073	80,227	81,987
Capital expenditures																		72,374	27,322	28,996
Ethanol Production [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		(100)	(186)	(84)
Agribusiness and Energy Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		735,500	768,956	668,761
Agribusiness and Energy Services [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		708,316	735,855	632,702
Cost of goods sold																		696,226	717,772	614,582
Operating income (loss)																		22,777	29,076	30,443
Depreciation and amortization																		2,222	2,470	3,462
Capital expenditures																		2,251	277	397
Agribusiness and Energy Services [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		(27,184)	(33,101)	(36,059)
Food And Ingredients [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		1,451	121,121	142,907
Food And Ingredients [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		1,451	121,121	142,907
Cost of goods sold																		1,526	94,679	109,343
Operating income (loss)																		(76)	14,354	17,963
Depreciation and amortization																			7,553	9,324
Capital expenditures																			9,025	13,467
Partnership [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		82,387	100,748	106,993
Partnership [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		6,856	6,481	6,277
Operating income (loss)																		50,635	64,770	65,709
Depreciation and amortization																		3,441	4,442	5,111
Capital expenditures																		305	1,268	2,024
Partnership [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		(75,531)	(94,267)	(100,716)
Corporate Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)																		(38,519)	96,687	(45,232)
Depreciation and amortization																		3,391	3,566	3,698
Capital expenditures																		1,542	451	3,115
Green Plains Cattle Company LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Gain on disposal of assets	$ 0
Green Plains Cattle Company LLC [Member] | Cattle [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		14,500	24,600	22,200
Cost of goods sold																		$ 14,400	$ 24,500	$ 22,000

[1] GPCC results prior to its disposition are classified as discontinued operations in current and prior period consolidated financial statements.