Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 15,304	$ 15,526
Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability	477		$ 501
Change in Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized	166	326
Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,403	2,601
Starches and sweeteners [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,622	1,638
Bioproducts [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	781	963
Nutrition [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,282	950
Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	674	636
Animal Nutrition [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	608	314
Oilseeds [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	5,414	5,602
Crushing and origination [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	3,256	3,285
Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,158	2,317
Origination [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	6,124	6,267
Merchandising and handling [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	6,058	6,212
Transportation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	66	55
Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	81	106
Non MTM Products and Services [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	4,733	4,677
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	4,618	4,560
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	115	117
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,980	2,120
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,980	2,120
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Starches and sweeteners [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,199	1,157
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Starches and sweeteners [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,199	1,157
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Bioproducts [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	781	963
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Bioproducts [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	781	963
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Nutrition [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,282	950
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Nutrition [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,282	950
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	674	636
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	674	636
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Animal Nutrition [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	608	314
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Animal Nutrition [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	608	314
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Oilseeds [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	683	713
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Oilseeds [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	683	713
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Crushing and origination [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	171	186
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Crushing and origination [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	171	186
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	512	527
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	512	527
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Origination [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	707	788
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Origination [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	592	671
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Origination [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	115	117
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Merchandising and handling [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	641	733
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Merchandising and handling [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	592	671
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Merchandising and handling [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	49	62
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Transportation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	66	55
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Transportation [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	66	55
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	81	106
Non MTM Products and Services [Member] | Other [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	81	106
Mark-to-Market Products [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	10,571	10,849
Mark-to-Market Products [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	423	481
Mark-to-Market Products [Member] | Starches and sweeteners [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	423	481
Mark-to-Market Products [Member] | Oilseeds [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	4,731	4,889
Mark-to-Market Products [Member] | Crushing and origination [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	3,085	3,099
Mark-to-Market Products [Member] | Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,646	1,790
Mark-to-Market Products [Member] | Origination [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	5,417	5,479
Mark-to-Market Products [Member] | Merchandising and handling [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 5,417	$ 5,479