Segment Information (Segment Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Information
Revenues	$ 15,304	$ 15,526
Earnings Before Income Taxes	315	464
Origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,124	6,267
Earnings Before Income Taxes	76	46
Merchandising and handling [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,058	6,212
Transportation [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	66	55
Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	5,414	5,602
Earnings Before Income Taxes	341	349
Crushing and origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	3,256	3,285
Refining, packaging, biodiesel, and other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,158	2,317
Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,403	2,601
Earnings Before Income Taxes	96	213
Starches and sweeteners [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,622	1,638
Bioproducts [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	781	963
Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,282	950
Earnings Before Income Taxes	81	96
Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	674	636
Animal Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	608	314
Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	81	106
Earnings Before Income Taxes	14	13
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(296)	(240)
Aggregate Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	611	704
Operating Segments [Member] | Origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,975	7,179
Operating Segments [Member] | Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	6,409	6,835
Operating Segments [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,576	2,812
Operating Segments [Member] | Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,300	958
Operating Segments [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	81	106
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(2,037)	(2,364)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Origination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(851)	(912)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(995)	(1,233)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(173)	(211)
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(18)	(8)
Other (Income) Expense - Net [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	12	0
Asset impairment, restructuring, and settlement [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	$ (9)	$ (13)