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Debt (Narrative - Food And Ingredients Segment, Partnership Segment, Capitalized Interest, And Restricted Net Assets) (Details)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) property	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) property	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 19, 2018 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest expense	$ 22,021,000	$ 19,430,000	$ 44,149,000	$ 37,926,000
Restricted assets	166,000,000		166,000,000
Food And Food Ingredients [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	425,000,000		425,000,000
Additional amounts available under facility, accordion feature			$ 75,000,000
Minimum working capital required for compliance, percentage			15.00%
Minimum net worth required for compliance, percentage			20.00%
Allowable dividends as percentage of net profit before taxes			50.00%
Annual leverage ratio			3.50
Annual capital expenditures, maximum			$ 10,000,000
Annual capital expenditures, maximum, funded by parent			$ 10,000,000
Food And Food Ingredients [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 Food Ingredients [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 1.00% to 2.00%
Food And Food Ingredients [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused capacity fee, percentage			0.20%
Food And Food Ingredients [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 Food Ingredients [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			1.00%
Food And Food Ingredients [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused capacity fee, percentage			0.30%
Food And Food Ingredients [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 Food Ingredients [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			2.00%
Partnership [Member] \| Green Plains Operating Company LLC [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	235,000,000		$ 235,000,000		$ 195,000,000
Additional amounts available under facility, accordion feature			20,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility, Increase	$ 40,000,000		$ 40,000,000
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			erage ratio at a 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]
Unused capacity fee, percentage			0.35%
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]
Unused capacity fee, percentage			0.50%
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
Collateral Pledged [Member] \| Food And Food Ingredients [Member] \| Green Plains Cattle [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of ethanol plants \| property	17		17