Segment Information (Segment Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Information
Revenues	$ (16,726)	$ (15,800)	$ (48,327)	$ (48,394)
Earnings Before Income Taxes	503	632	1,092	1,748
Ag Services and Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(12,616)	(12,260)	(36,382)	(37,431)
Earnings Before Income Taxes	417	478	1,196	1,405
Ag Services [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(8,246)	(7,623)	(23,653)	(23,769)
Crushing [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(2,465)	(2,688)	(7,130)	(7,838)
Refined Products and Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,905)	(1,949)	(5,599)	(5,824)
Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(2,565)	(2,534)	(7,409)	(7,782)
Earnings Before Income Taxes	182	288	470	748
Starches and sweeteners [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,724)	(1,706)	(5,030)	(5,048)
Bioproducts [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(841)	(828)	(2,379)	(2,734)
Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,457)	(922)	(4,263)	(2,890)
Earnings Before Income Taxes	118	67	316	277
Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(703)	(641)	(2,105)	(1,970)
Animal Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(754)	(281)	(2,158)	(920)
Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(88)	(84)	(273)	(291)
Earnings Before Income Taxes	47	28	72	72
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(255)	(249)	(922)	(739)
Aggregate Segment [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	758	881	2,014	2,487
Operating Segments [Member] | Ag Services and Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(14,440)	(14,206)	(41,041)	(42,797)
Operating Segments [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(3,018)	(2,909)	(8,472)	(8,625)
Operating Segments [Member] | Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(1,481)	(933)	(4,322)	(2,920)
Operating Segments [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	(88)	(84)	(273)	(291)
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	2,301	2,332	5,781	6,239
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Ag Services and Oilseeds [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	1,824	1,946	4,659	5,366
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Carbohydrate Solutions [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	453	375	1,063	843
Intersegment Elimination [Member] | Nutrition [Member]
Segment Information
Revenues	24	11	59	30
Other (Income) Expense - Net [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	0	21	12	21
Asset impairment, restructuring, and settlement [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Information
Earnings Before Income Taxes	$ (6)	$ (1)	$ (52)	$ (36)