Segments - Information by Reportable Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	$ 23,043	$ 32,448	$ 82,364	$ 117,389
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	(33,242)	(32,556)	(102,247)	(93,698)
Precigen
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	(5,953)	(7,965)	(20,789)	(20,797)
MBP
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	(9,024)	(8,192)	(26,238)	(22,059)
Fine Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	144	(343)	(979)	(1,244)
Okanagan
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	(4,323)	(5,158)	(25,367)	(16,609)
Trans Ova
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	(5,560)	(1,844)	(2,854)	(1,901)
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	(8,526)	(9,054)	(26,020)	(31,088)
Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	23,043	32,423	82,217	117,258
Revenues	26,916	34,041	95,249	122,880
Operating segments \| Precigen
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	444	6,822	2,174	22,285
Revenues	2,757	7,022	9,264	22,716
Operating segments \| MBP
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	1,117	2,083	3,813	5,030
Revenues	1,117	2,085	3,815	5,038
Operating segments \| Fine Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	2,177	1,103	4,167	4,211
Revenues	3,402	2,263	8,257	8,165
Operating segments \| Okanagan
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	6	10	45	37
Revenues	6	10	45	37
Operating segments \| Trans Ova
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	13,981	15,634	53,307	59,467
Revenues	14,238	15,770	54,511	59,849
Operating segments \| All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	5,318	6,771	18,711	26,228
Revenues	5,396	6,891	19,357	27,075
Intersegment revenues
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	3,873	1,618	13,032	5,622
Intersegment revenues \| Precigen
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	2,313	200	7,090	431
Intersegment revenues \| MBP
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0	2	2	8
Intersegment revenues \| Fine Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,225	1,160	4,090	3,954
Intersegment revenues \| Okanagan
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Intersegment revenues \| Trans Ova
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	257	136	1,204	382
Intersegment revenues \| All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 78	$ 120	$ 646	$ 847

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130545-203045

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
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