v2.4.0.8

Debt (Narrative - Ethanol Production Segment) (Details) (USD $)										6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended						6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Revenue Bond [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Central City [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Central City [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Fairmont and Green Plains Wood River [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Holdings II [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Holdings II [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Holdings II [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Obion [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Obion [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Obion [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Ord [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Ord [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Otter Tail [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Otter Tail [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Shenandoah [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Superior [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Superior [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Superior [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Processing [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Green Plains Processing [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Bluffton [Member] Revenue Bond [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Fairmont and Green Plains Wood River [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Holdings II [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Holdings II [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Obion [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Otter Tail [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Otter Tail [Member] Revenue Bond [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Superior [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Superior [Member] Revolving Term Loans [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Processing [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Ethanol Production Segment [Member] Green Plains Processing [Member] Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Allowable Dividends As Percentage Of Net Profit Before Tax										40.00%			40.00%								40.00%
Outstanding note payable	$ 77,000,000
Allowable advances decrease																														800,000				2,500,000
Debt instrument amount		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		225,000,000	22,000,000						19,200,000				225,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, effective percentage			7.50%																					6.50%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage Rate Range, Minimum																		4.00%						1.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Basis for Effective Rate																		1.5%																	5.5%
Principal payments (plus interest)																										1,500,000						300,000
Debt maturity dates																											Nov. 27, 2015	Jul. 01, 2019	Jul. 01, 2019	May 20, 2020			Jul. 20, 2015	Jul. 01, 2017		Jun. 30, 2020
Final principal and interest payment on September 1, 2019																										3,700,000
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt																															2,200,000
Restricted cash	41,278,000	26,994,000
Minimum Working Capital Required For Compliance										$ 20,000,000			$ 15,000,000

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