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Debt (Narrative - Agribusiness Segment, Marketing And Distribution Segment, Corporate Activities, Capitalized Interest, And Restricted Net Assets) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Jul. 01, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capitalized interest	$ 483,000	$ 313,000	$ 1,400,000	$ 707,000
Restricted assets	624,500,000		624,500,000
Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
New accounting pronouncement, reclassification of debt issuance costs from other assets to long-term debt	13,700,000		13,700,000			$ 11,400,000
Green Plains Grain [Member] \| Revolvers [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding note payable	73,000,000		73,000,000			77,000,000
Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolvers [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding note payable	63,000,000		63,000,000			69,700,000
Green Plains Trade [Member] \| Revolvers [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding note payable	93,100,000		93,100,000			$ 80,200,000
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Grain [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	125,000,000		$ 125,000,000
Debt maturity dates			Jul. 26, 2019
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 250,000,000		$ 250,000,000
Allowable dividends as percentage of net profit before taxes	50.00%		50.00%
Additional amounts available under facility, accordion feature			$ 75,000,000
Annual capital expenditures, maximum			$ 8,000,000
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Grain [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage			3.00%
Interest rate, basis for effective rate			LIBOR plus 3.00%
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Grain [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage			2.00%
Interest rate, basis for effective rate			base rate plus 2.00%
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Grain [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed charge coverage ratio	1.25		1.25
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Grain [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Annual leverage ratio	6.00		6.00
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Grain [Member] \| Seasonal Borrowings [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 50,000,000		$ 50,000,000
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	100,000,000		100,000,000
Additional amounts available under facility, accordion feature			50,000,000
Minimum working capital required for compliance			15,000,000
Minimum net worth required for compliance	$ 20,300,000		$ 20,300,000
Annual leverage ratio	3.50		3.50
Annual capital expenditures, maximum			$ 3,000,000
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis for effective rate			LIBOR plus 2.00% to 3.00%
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Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis for effective rate			base rate plus 0.00% to 0.25%
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage			2.00%
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage			0.00%
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage			3.00%
Agribusiness Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage			0.25%
Marketing and Distribution Segment [Member] \| Green Plains Trade [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 150,000,000		$ 150,000,000
Revolving credit facility expiration date			Nov. 26, 2019
Allowable dividends as percentage of net profit before taxes	50.00%		50.00%
Undrawn availability of revolving credit facility on a pro forma basis	$ 10,000,000		$ 10,000,000
Fixed charge coverage ratio	1.15		1.15
Annual capital expenditures, maximum			$ 1,500,000
Restricted cash	$ 16,100,000		16,100,000
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	155,000,000		155,000,000		$ 100,000,000
Additional amount available under credit facility without consent of the lenders	$ 100,000,000		$ 100,000,000
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis for effective rate			LIBOR rate plus 2.25% to 3.00%
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis for effective rate			base rate plus 1.25% to 2.00%
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest coverage ratio	2.75		2.75
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate, basis points			2.25
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate, basis points			1.25
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net leverage ratio	3.50		3.50
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate, basis points			3.00
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate, basis points			2.00
Corporate Activities [Member] \| 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	$ 120,000,000		$ 120,000,000
Interest rate, stated percentage	3.25%		3.25%
Common stock, dividends per share, cash paid per share			$ 0.04
Common stock for conversion, shares			49.2564
Debt conversion amount			$ 1,000
Debt conversion price	$ 20.30		$ 20.30
Conversion price percentage			140.00%
Principal amount of notes, percentage			100.00%
Corporate Activities [Member] \| 4.125% Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	$ 170,000,000		$ 170,000,000
Interest rate, stated percentage	4.125%		4.125%
Interest rate, effective percentage	9.31%		9.31%
Debt insturment, unamoritzed discount	$ 40,600,000		$ 40,600,000
Debt issuance costs	$ 5,700,000		$ 5,700,000
Common stock, dividends per share, cash paid per share			$ 0.12
Common stock for conversion, shares			35.7143
Debt conversion amount			$ 1,000
Debt conversion price	$ 28.00		$ 28.00
Conversion price percentage			140.00%
Principal amount of notes, percentage			100.00%
Corporate Activities [Member] \| 4.125% Convertible Senior Notes [Member] \| Liability Component [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs	$ 4,300,000		$ 4,300,000