Segment and Geographic Information (Segment Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Information
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions									$ 882	$ 1,350
Revenues	$ 16,501	$ 15,832	$ 15,629	$ 14,384	$ 16,445	$ 16,565	$ 17,186	$ 17,506	62,346	67,702	$ 81,201
Depreciation									787	799	850
Asset abandonments and write-downs									17	108	35
Interest income									92	71	92
Equity in earnings of affiliates									292	390	372
Interest Expense									(293)	(308)	(337)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(534)	(438)	(877)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									(9)	3	(5)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	424	$ 341	$ 284	$ 230	718	$ 252	$ 386	$ 493	1,279	1,849	2,248
Operating profit									1,822	2,284	3,130
Investments in and advances to affiliates	4,497				3,901				4,497	3,901
Identifiable assets	39,769				40,157				39,769	40,157
Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions									156	229
Revenues									27,893	29,682	36,288
Depreciation									191	188	189
Asset abandonments and write-downs									3	0	17
Interest income									21	16	31
Equity in earnings of affiliates									16	24	41
Operating profit									602	714	1,043
Investments in and advances to affiliates	367				384				367	384
Identifiable assets	8,380				8,715				8,380	8,715
Reportable segment totals [Member]
Segment Information
Operating profit									2,704	3,272	3,915
Oilseeds Processing
Segment Information
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions									266	404
Revenues									22,152	25,217	30,933
Depreciation									185	187	235
Asset abandonments and write-downs									6	40	3
Interest income									27	29	30
Equity in earnings of affiliates									211	251	236
Operating profit									871	1,574	1,440
Investments in and advances to affiliates	3,413				2,743				3,413	2,743
Identifiable assets	11,228				10,794				11,228	10,794
Crushing and origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									13,976	15,597	18,542
Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									7,880	9,364	11,937
Asia [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									296	256	454
Wild and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions									139	167
Revenues									2,427	2,407	1,368
Depreciation									37	36	37
Asset abandonments and write-downs									0	1	0
Interest income									2	1	1
Equity in earnings of affiliates									4	0	0
Operating profit									286	280	205
Investments in and advances to affiliates	3				0				3	0
Identifiable assets	4,610				4,570				4,610	4,570
Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions									240	427
Revenues									9,466	9,995	12,282
Depreciation									342	335	332
Asset abandonments and write-downs									6	66	15
Interest income									3	2	10
Equity in earnings of affiliates									91	85	113
Operating profit									811	648	1,148
Investments in and advances to affiliates	395				368				395	368
Identifiable assets	6,418				6,450				6,418	6,450
Sweeteners and starches [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									4,028	3,713	3,767
Bioproducts [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									5,438	6,282	8,515
Merchandising and handling [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									24,609	25,957	32,208
Transportation [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									224	246	265
Milling and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									3,060	3,479	3,815
Other Segments [Member]
Segment Information
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions									20	15
Revenues									408	401	330
Depreciation									5	5	3
Interest income									35	19	13
Equity in earnings of affiliates									10	(3)	10
Operating profit									134	56	79
Investments in and advances to affiliates	4				39				4	39
Identifiable assets	7,211				7,902				7,211	7,902
Financial [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									408	401	330
Corporate [Member]
Segment Information
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions									61	108
Depreciation									27	48	54
Asset abandonments and write-downs									2	1	0
Interest income									4	4	7
Equity in earnings of affiliates									(40)	33	(28)
Operating profit									(882)	(988)	(785)
Investments in and advances to affiliates	315				367				315	367
Identifiable assets	$ 1,922				$ 1,726				1,922	1,726
Operating Segments [Member] | Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									30,241	33,658	40,120
Operating Segments [Member] | Oilseeds Processing
Segment Information
Revenues									27,305	29,393	33,591
Operating Segments [Member] | Wild and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									2,447	2,423	1,380
Operating Segments [Member] | Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									9,512	10,051	12,377
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Segments [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									585	634	573
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									(7,744)	(8,457)	(6,840)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									(2,348)	(3,976)	(3,832)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Oilseeds Processing
Segment Information
Revenues									(5,153)	(4,176)	(2,658)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Wild and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									(20)	(16)	(12)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									(46)	(56)	(95)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Other Segments [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues									$ (177)	$ (233)	$ (243)