Segment Information (Segment Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Segment Information
Revenues	$ 15,832	$ 16,565	$ 45,845	$ 51,257
Earnings Before Income Taxes	480	367	1,193	1,583
Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,960	6,603	19,827	21,653
Earnings Before Income Taxes	193	149	365	495
Merchandising and handling [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,146	5,697	17,331	18,798
Transportation [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	60	71	171	182
Milling and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	754	835	2,325	2,673
Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,391	2,519	6,950	7,564
Earnings Before Income Taxes	212	131	562	448
Sweeteners and starches [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,057	974	3,061	2,805
Bioproducts [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,334	1,545	3,889	4,759
Oilseeds Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	5,775	6,747	16,871	19,862
Earnings Before Income Taxes	144	335	638	1,148
Crushing and origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	3,660	4,222	10,799	12,214
Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,042	2,481	5,852	7,455
Asia [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	73	44	220	193
Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	611	588	1,883	1,876
Earnings Before Income Taxes	73	70	249	242
Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	95	108	314	302
Earnings Before Income Taxes	23	24	84	39
Aggregate Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	645	709	1,898	2,372
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(165)	(342)	(705)	(789)
Operating Segments [Member] | Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	7,597	7,623	21,461	24,534
Operating Segments [Member] | Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,401	2,529	6,985	7,609
Operating Segments [Member] | Oilseeds Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	7,003	7,795	20,411	22,930
Operating Segments [Member] | Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	617	593	1,899	1,887
Operating Segments [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	136	164	449	481
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,922)	(2,139)	(5,360)	(6,184)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(637)	(1,020)	(1,634)	(2,881)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(10)	(10)	(35)	(45)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Oilseeds Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,228)	(1,048)	(3,540)	(3,068)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(6)	(5)	(16)	(11)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	$ (41)	$ (56)	$ (135)	$ (179)