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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