Segment Information (Segment Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Information
Assets	$ 38,755		$ 38,755		$ 39,956	$ 39,963
Revenues	17,068	$ 14,943	32,594	$ 29,931
Earnings Before Income Taxes	652	383	1,116	841
Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Assets	6,047		6,047			6,242
Revenues	2,668	2,551	5,290	5,061
Earnings Before Income Taxes	249	279	462	490
Starches and sweeteners [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,704	1,629	3,342	3,204
Bioproducts [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	964	922	1,948	1,857
Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Assets	6,765		6,765			5,568
Revenues	1,018	933	1,968	1,788
Earnings Before Income Taxes	114	94	210	171
Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	693	661	1,329	1,235
Animal Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	325	272	639	553
Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Assets	13,298		13,298			11,835
Revenues	6,675	6,011	12,308	11,237
Earnings Before Income Taxes	341	201	691	514
Crushing and origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	4,823	3,927	8,433	7,220
Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,852	2,084	3,875	4,017
Origination [Member]
Segment Information
Assets	7,063		7,063			8,311
Revenues	6,606	5,347	12,821	11,650
Earnings Before Income Taxes	189	57	234	104
Merchandising and handling [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,543	5,295	12,703	11,548
Transportation [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	63	52	118	102
Other [Member]
Segment Information
Assets	4,884		4,884			5,658
Revenues	101	101	207	195
Earnings Before Income Taxes	31	27	44	57
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Assets	698		698			$ 2,349
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(250)	(259)	(490)	(477)
Aggregate Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	902	642	1,606	1,318
Operating Segments [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,927	2,662	5,760	5,531
Operating Segments [Member] | Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,029	944	1,987	1,804
Operating Segments [Member] | Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	8,264	7,100	15,130	13,182
Operating Segments [Member] | Origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	7,723	6,172	14,850	13,524
Operating Segments [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	101	101	207	195
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(2,976)	(2,036)	(5,340)	(4,305)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(259)	(111)	(470)	(470)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(11)	(11)	(19)	(16)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,589)	(1,089)	(2,822)	(1,945)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,117)	(825)	(2,029)	(1,874)
Other (Income) Expense - Net [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	0	8	0	8
Asset impairment, restructuring, and settlement [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(22)	(26)	(35)	(35)
Cost of Products Sold [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	$ 0	$ 2	$ 0	$ 9