Acquisitions (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2010	Jul. 02, 2011		Jul. 03, 2010		Jul. 02, 2011		Jul. 03, 2010
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Sales		$ 5,539,931		$ 4,613,307		$ 10,762,934		$ 8,848,673
Net income attributable to shareholders		156,197		116,193		292,506		203,239
Basic		$ 1.35		$ 0.97		$ 2.54		$ 1.7
Diluted		$ 1.33	[1]	$ 0.96	[1]	$ 2.49	[1]	$ 1.68	[1]
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Gain on bargain purchase		0		0		1,755		0
Gain on bargain purchase, net of taxes						1,078		0
Amortization of Intangible Assets		9,280		4,650		16,163		9,294
Payments to acquire additional interest in majority-owned subsidiary	3,060
Seed [Member]
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Number of Sales Facilities		14				14
Number of Value Added Engineers		100				100
Number of Employees		200				200
Business Acquisition, Revenue Reported by Acquired Entity for Last Annual Period						90,000
Acquisitions 2011 [Member]
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue		5,550,949				10,883,029
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)		156,361				296,285
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic		$ 1.35				$ 2.57
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted		$ 1.33				$ 2.52
RFPD and NuHorizons Combined [Member]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Receivables		194,312				194,312
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Inventory		169,881				169,881
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Property, Plant and Equipment		11,278				11,278
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Assets		8,137				8,137
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Amortizable Intangible Assets		90,900				90,900
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill Amount		31,951				31,951
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable		(98,967)				(98,967)
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Liabilities, Accrued Liabilities		(19,405)				(19,405)
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Liabilities		(4,080)				(4,080)
Business Combination, Acquisition of Less than 100 Percent, Noncontrolling Interest, Fair Value		(3,239)				(3,239)
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Assets Acquired		380,768				380,768
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price		379,013				379,013
Sales		243,127				429,396
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Gain on bargain purchase						(1,755)
RFPD [Member]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price		235,973				235,973
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Number of Employees		400				400
Nu Horizons [Member]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Cash and Cash Equivalents		18,085				18,085
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Debt Paid		26,375				26,375
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Assets Acquired		162,880				162,880
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price		161,125				161,125
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Number of Employees		700				700
Gain on bargain purchase						1,755
Gain on bargain purchase, net of taxes						1,078
Gain on Purchase of Business, Per Share Basic						$ 0.01
Gain on Purchase of Business, Per Share Diluted						$ 0.01
Acquisitions 2010 [Member]
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue				5,141,380				9,915,419
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)				$ 126,193				$ 218,967
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic				$ 1.06				$ 1.83
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted				$ 1.05				$ 1.81

[1] (a)Stock-based compensation awards for the issuance of 398 and 342 shares for the second quarter and first six months of 2011 and 3,471 and 3,300 shares for the second quarter and first six months of 2010, respectively, were excluded from the computation of net income per share on a diluted basis as their effect was anti-dilutive.