Segment Information (Segment Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Segment Information
Revenues	$ 14,988	$ 14,384
Earnings Before Income Taxes	458	306
Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,806	6,480
Earnings Before Income Taxes	81	75
Merchandising and handling [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,070	5,679
Transportation [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	50	55
Milling and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	686	746
Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,244	2,207
Earnings Before Income Taxes	177	131
Sweeteners and starches [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,028	967
Bioproducts [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,216	1,240
Oilseeds Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	5,282	4,997
Earnings Before Income Taxes	313	260
Crushing and origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	3,274	3,106
Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,945	1,769
Asia [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	63	122
Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	562	592
Earnings Before Income Taxes	75	70
Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	94	108
Earnings Before Income Taxes	30	37
Aggregate Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	676	573
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(218)	(267)
Operating Segments [Member] | Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	7,311	6,863
Operating Segments [Member] | Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,259	2,220
Operating Segments [Member] | Oilseeds Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,589	6,092
Operating Segments [Member] | Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	566	596
Operating Segments [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	136	158
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,873)	(1,545)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Agricultural Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(505)	(383)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Corn Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(15)	(13)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Oilseeds Processing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,307)	(1,095)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(4)	(4)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	$ (42)	$ (50)