Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales and merchandising revenues	$ 859,612	$ 909,093	$ 2,811,735	$ 3,015,022
Cost of sales and merchandising revenues	782,597	823,903	2,569,923	2,738,348
Gross profit	77,015	85,190	241,812	276,674
Operating, administrative and general expenses	78,767	88,698	234,053	251,044
Interest expense	4,441	6,147	18,046	16,210
Other income (loss):
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliates, net	8,422	3,845	3,789	23,295
Other income (loss), net	2,216	3,355	11,144	20,235
Income (loss) before income taxes	4,445	(2,455)	4,646	52,950
Income tax provision (benefit)	1,104	(1,505)	1,486	17,556
Net income (loss)	3,341	(950)	3,160	35,394
Net income (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	1,619	277	1,711	1,433
Net income (loss) attributable to The Andersons, Inc.	$ 1,722	$ (1,227)	$ 1,449	$ 33,961
Per common share:
Basic earnings attributable to The Andersons, Inc. common shareholders (dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ (0.04)	$ 0.05	$ 1.19
Diluted earnings attributable to The Andersons, Inc. common shareholders (dollars per share)	0.06	(0.04)	0.05	1.19
Dividends declared (dollars per share)	$ 0.155	$ 0.14	$ 0.465	$ 0.42