v2.4.0.8

Debt (Narrative - Ethanol Production Segment) (Details) (USD $)											3 Months Ended														3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Revenue Bond [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Central City [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Central City [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Central City And Green Plains Ord Combined [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Fairmont and Green Plains Wood River [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Holdings II [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Holdings II [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Holdings II [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Obion [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Obion [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Obion [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Ord [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Ord [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Otter Tail [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Otter Tail [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Shenandoah [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Superior [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Superior [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Green Plains Superior [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Revenue Bond [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Central City [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Central City [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Fairmont and Green Plains Wood River [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Holdings II [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Holdings II - Term C [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Obion [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Obion [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Ord [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Ord [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Otter Tail [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Otter Tail [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Otter Tail [Member] Revenue Bond [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Shenandoah [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Superior [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Superior [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Additional Allowable Dividends As Percentage Of Net Profit Before Tax, After Free Cash Flow Payment			15.00%						35.00%
Minimum Tangible Owners Equity Required For Compliance									70.00%										40.00%
Allowable Dividends As Percentage Of Net Profit Before Tax			35.00%								40.00%			40.00%					40.00%			40.00%
Outstanding note payable	$ 77,000,000
Allowable advances decrease																																		4,700,000						400,000		2,500,000
Debt instrument amount		22,000,000	22,000,000	70,000,000	20,000,000	22,000,000	55,000,000	30,500,000		50,000,000		46,800,000	20,000,000		60,000,000	37,400,000	25,000,000	13,000,000		30,300,000	17,000,000		40,000,000	10,000,000			22,000,000												19,200,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, effective percentage																			4.00%
Principal payments (plus interest)																											1,500,000												300,000
Debt maturity dates																									Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015		Jul. 01, 2016	Jul. 01, 2016	Nov. 27, 2015	Jul. 01, 2019	Jul. 01, 2019	May 20, 2014	Jun. 01, 2018	Jul. 01, 2016	Jul. 01, 2016		Sep. 01, 2018		Sep. 20, 2018	Jul. 20, 2015	Jul. 01, 2017
Final principal and interest payment on September 1, 2019																											3,745,000
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt																																					2,200,000
Restricted cash	22,893,000	26,994,000																									2,500,000
Minimum Working Capital Required For Compliance											$ 20,000,000

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Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

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Net increase or decrease in the carrying amount of the debt instrument for the period for reasons other than accrued but unpaid interest, additional borrowings, forgiveness and repayments.

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Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

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