Revenue Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 812,576	$ 936,262	$ 2,534,596	$ 2,709,702
Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	482,744	575,543	1,467,365	1,677,286
Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	265,208	298,863	847,457	843,498
Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	64,624	61,856	219,774	188,918
North America
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	442,242	495,911	1,363,337	1,447,823
North America | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	388,088	431,844	1,186,866	1,270,244
North America | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	45,538	50,446	135,803	145,009
North America | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	8,616	13,621	40,668	32,570
Europe
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	284,261	350,132	920,734	1,013,007
Europe | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	81,381	129,737	251,495	377,589
Europe | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	146,872	172,160	490,133	479,070
Europe | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	56,008	48,235	179,106	156,348
China
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	54,384	53,519	155,857	148,346
China | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	11,199	11,552	23,279	23,496
China | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	43,185	41,967	132,578	124,850
China | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
South America
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	11,579	14,072	35,839	39,153
South America | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
South America | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	11,579	14,072	35,839	39,153
South America | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Other
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	20,110	22,628	58,829	61,373
Other | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	2,076	2,410	5,725	5,957
Other | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	18,034	20,218	53,104	55,416
Other | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Fats
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	181,625	214,086	545,954	616,786
Fats | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	142,453	166,197	423,148	484,437
Fats | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	39,172	47,889	122,806	132,349
Fats | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Used cooking oil
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	38,863	46,578	123,555	136,081
Used cooking oil | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	38,863	46,578	123,555	136,081
Used cooking oil | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Used cooking oil | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Proteins
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	216,316	219,091	641,178	612,992
Proteins | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	216,316	219,091	641,178	612,992
Proteins | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Proteins | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Bakery
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	44,638	51,840	135,871	159,528
Bakery | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	44,638	51,840	135,871	159,528
Bakery | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Bakery | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Other rendering
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	27,519	68,243	87,860	215,398
Other rendering | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	27,519	68,243	87,860	215,398
Other rendering | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Other rendering | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Food ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	206,504	223,717	657,793	642,124
Food ingredients | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Food ingredients | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	206,504	223,717	657,793	642,124
Food ingredients | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Bioenergy
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	56,008	48,235	179,106	156,348
Bioenergy | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Bioenergy | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Bioenergy | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	56,008	48,235	179,106	156,348
Biofuels
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	8,616	13,621	40,668	32,570
Biofuels | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Biofuels | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Biofuels | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	8,616	13,621	40,668	32,570
Other
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	32,487	50,851	122,611	137,875
Other | Feed Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	12,955	23,594	55,753	68,850
Other | Food Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	19,532	27,257	66,858	69,025
Other | Fuel Ingredients
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Balances without adoption of Topic 606
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue, Modified Retrospective Basis Effect		$ 40,900		$ 117,000
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Balances without adoption of Topic 606
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 852,339		$ 2,665,995