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Debt (Narrative - Agribusiness Segment, Marketing And Distribution Segment, Corporate Activities, Capitalized Interest, And Restricted Net Assets) (Details) $ / shares in Units, item in Millions |  | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 24, 2017 USD ($) shares | Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares item shares | Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Capitalized interest |  | $ 11,000 | $ 358,000 |
Restricted assets |  | 886,900,000 |  |
Green Plains Grain [Member] | Revolvers [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Outstanding note payable |  | 112,000,000 |  | $ 102,000,000
Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Revolvers [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Outstanding note payable |  | 63,500,000 |  | 63,500,000
Green Plains Trade [Member] | Revolvers [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Outstanding note payable |  | 109,300,000 |  | 125,700,000
Agribusiness And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Grain [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  | $ 125,000,000 |  |
Debt maturity dates |  | Jul. 26, 2019 |  |
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity |  | $ 250,000,000 |  |
Allowable dividends as percentage of net profit before taxes |  | 50.00% |  |
Additional amounts available under facility, accordion feature |  | $ 75,000,000 |  |
Minimum working capital required for compliance |  | 20,000,000 |  |
Minimum net worth required for compliance |  | 26,300,000 |  |
Annual capital expenditures, maximum |  | $ 8,000,000 |  |
Agribusiness And Energy Services 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 And Energy Services 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 And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Grain [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Fixed charge coverage ratio |  | 1.25 |  |
Agribusiness And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Grain [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Annual leverage ratio |  | 6.00 |  |
Agribusiness And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Grain [Member] | Inventory Financing Arrangements [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Short-term inventory financing arrangements |  | $ 49,600,000 |  |
Number of bushels of corn | item |  | 14.8 |  |
Agribusiness And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Grain [Member] | Seasonal Borrowings [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity |  | $ 50,000,000 |  |
Agribusiness And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Trade [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Unused capacity fee, percentage |  | 0.50% |  |
Agribusiness And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Trade [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage |  | 2.50% |  |
Interest rate, basis for effective rate |  | LIBOR plus 2.50% |  |
Agribusiness And Energy Services Segment [Member] | Green Plains Trade [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage |  | 1.50% |  |
Interest rate, basis for effective rate |  | base rate plus 1.50% |  |
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 |  |
Revolving credit facility expiration date |  | Nov. 26, 2019 |  |
Allowable dividends as percentage of net profit before taxes |  | 50.00% |  |
Undrawn availability of revolving credit facility on a pro forma basis |  | $ 10,000,000 |  |
Fixed charge coverage ratio |  | 1.15 |  |
Annual capital expenditures, maximum |  | $ 1,500,000 |  |
Restricted cash |  | 22,000,000 |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  | 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 |  | $ 22,700,000 |  |
Annual leverage ratio |  | 3.50 |  |
Annual capital expenditures, maximum |  | $ 3,000,000 |  |
Annual capital expenditures, maximum, funded by parent |  | $ 5,000,000 |  |
Food And Ingredients 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% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis for effective rate |  | base rate plus 0.00% to 0.25% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Unused capacity fee, percentage |  | 0.20% |  |
Food And Ingredients 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% |  |
Food And Ingredients 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% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Green Plains Cattle [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Unused capacity fee, percentage |  | 0.25% |  |
Food And Ingredients 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% |  |
Food And Ingredients 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% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Unused capacity fee, percentage |  | 0.50% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | LIBOR [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis for effective rate |  | LIBOR plus an applicable margin of 6.0% to 7.0% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | Base Rate [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis for effective rate |  | base rate plus an applicable margin of 5.0% to 6.0% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage |  | 6.00% |  |
Prepayment fees |  | 1.00% |  |
Net leverage ratio |  | 5.00 |  |
Interest coverage ratio |  | 1.00 |  |
Percentage of available free cash flow from operations, subject to certain limitations, required to be used toward annual special payments |  | 0.00% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Base Rate [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage |  | 5.00% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage |  | 6.00% |  |
Prepayment fees |  | 2.00% |  |
Net leverage ratio |  | 7.00 |  |
Interest coverage ratio |  | 1.10 |  |
Percentage of available free cash flow from operations, subject to certain limitations, required to be used toward annual special payments |  | 50.00% |  |
Food And Ingredients Segment [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | Maximum [Member] | LIBOR [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate, basis spread on variable rate, percentage |  | 7.00% |  |
Partnership [Member] | Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  | $ 155,000,000 |  |
Additional amount available under credit facility without consent of the lenders |  | $ 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 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 |  | 1.25% to 2.00% |  |
Partnership [Member] | Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Unused capacity fee, percentage |  | 0.35% |  |
Interest coverage ratio |  | 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] |  |  |  |
Unused capacity fee, percentage |  | 0.50% |  |
Net leverage ratio |  | 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 |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  | 3.25% |  |
Common stock, dividends per share, cash paid per share | $ / shares |  | $ 0.04 |  |
Common stock for conversion, shares | shares |  | 49.5785 |  |
Debt conversion amount |  | $ 1,000 |  |
Debt conversion price | $ / shares |  | $ 20.17 |  |
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 |  |
Interest rate, stated percentage |  | 4.125% |  |
Common stock, dividends per share, cash paid per share | $ / shares |  | $ 0.12 |  |
Common stock for conversion, shares | shares |  | 35.7143 |  |
Debt conversion amount |  | $ 1,000 |  |
Debt conversion price | $ / shares |  | $ 28.00 |  |
Conversion price percentage |  | 140.00% |  |
Principal amount of notes, percentage |  | 100.00% |  |
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Green Plains Grain [Member] | Inventory Financing Arrangements [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Short-term inventory financing arrangements |  | $ 50,900,000 |  |
$130.0 Million Term Loan [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  | 130,000,000 |  |
$130.0 Million Term Loan [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Term Loan [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  | 130,000,000 |  | 130,000,000
$15.0 Million Revoling Credit Facility [Member] | Fleischmanns Vinegar Company [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  | $ 15,000,000 |  | $ 15,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Corporate Activities [Member] | 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes [Member] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount | $ 95,900,000 |  |  |
Common stock for conversion, shares | shares | 1,344,298 |  |  |
Debt conversion amount | $ 24,100,000 |  |  |

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