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Segment Information (Summary Of Financial Data) (Details) - USD ($) |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 28, 2020 | Sep. 01, 2019 | Nov. 15, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Sep. 30, 2020 | Jun. 30, 2020 | [1] | Mar. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Mar. 31, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  | $ 478,764,000 | $ 424,062,000 | $ 388,024,000 | $ 632,869,000 | $ 715,677,000 | $ 632,350,000 | $ 630,570,000 | $ 438,641,000 |  | $ 1,923,719,000 | $ 2,417,238,000 | $ 2,983,932,000
Cost of goods sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,812,163,000 | 2,384,947,000 | 2,806,968,000
Operating income (loss) |  |  |  |  | (34,795,000) | (14,205,000) | $ (19,368,000) | $ (54,328,000) | $ (14,922,000) | $ (42,365,000) | $ (46,645,000) | $ (38,638,000) |  | (122,696,000) | (142,570,000) | 89,954,000
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 78,244,000 | 72,127,000 | 98,258,000
Capital expenditures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 111,799,000 | 76,472,000 | 38,343,000
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  |  |  |  |  | 2,000,000.0 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,000,000.0 | (20,860,000) |  | 150,351,000
Goodwill impairment |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,091,000 |  |
Hereford Ethanol Plant [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  | $ 22,400,000 |  |  | (22,400,000) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Green Plains Cattle Company LLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  |  | $ 0 |  | $ (500,000) | $ 2,000,000.0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bluffton, Lakota and Riga Ethanol Plants [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  |  |  | $ 92,200,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,029,797,000 | 2,520,053,000 | 3,111,486,000
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (106,078,000) | (102,815,000) | (127,554,000)
Cost of goods sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (104,579,000) | (103,904,000) | (124,270,000)
Operating income (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,400,000) | 1,188,000 | (3,110,000)
Ethanol Production [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,502,581,000 | 1,700,715,000 | 2,120,661,000
Goodwill impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,091,000 |  |
Ethanol Production [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,502,481,000 | 1,700,615,000 | 2,120,475,000
Cost of goods sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,507,335,000 | 1,791,099,000 | 2,118,787,000
Operating income (loss) | [2] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (129,618,000) | (178,575,000) | (111,823,000)
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 67,956,000 | 63,073,000 | 80,227,000
Capital expenditures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 109,970,000 | 72,374,000 | 27,322,000
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3,900,000) |  |
Goodwill impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,100,000 |  |
Ethanol Production [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (100,000) | (100,000) | (186,000)
Agribusiness & Energy Services [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 443,871,000 | 735,500,000 | 768,956,000
Agribusiness & Energy Services [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 416,403,000 | 708,316,000 | 735,855,000
Cost of goods sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 409,407,000 | 696,226,000 | 717,772,000
Operating income (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15,773,000 | 22,777,000 | 29,076,000
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,512,000 | 2,222,000 | 2,470,000
Capital expenditures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,195,000 | 2,251,000 | 277,000
Agribusiness & Energy Services [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (27,468,000) | (27,184,000) | (33,101,000)
Food & Ingredients [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,451,000 | 121,121,000
Food & Ingredients [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,451,000 | 121,121,000
Cost of goods sold |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,526,000 | 94,679,000
Operating income (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (76,000) | 14,354,000
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7,553,000
Capital expenditures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,025,000
Green Plains Partners [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 83,345,000 | 82,387,000 | 100,748,000
Goodwill impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Green Plains Partners [Member] | Bluffton, Lakota and Riga Ethanol Plants [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  |  |  | 2,700,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Green Plains Partners [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,835,000 | 6,856,000 | 6,481,000
Operating income (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50,437,000 | 50,635,000 | 64,770,000
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,806,000 | 3,441,000 | 4,442,000
Capital expenditures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 162,000 | 305,000 | 1,268,000
Green Plains Partners [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (78,510,000) | (75,531,000) | (94,267,000)
Corporate Activities [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating income (loss) | [3] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (57,888,000) | (38,519,000) | 96,687,000
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,970,000 | 3,391,000 | 3,566,000
Capital expenditures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 472,000 | $ 1,542,000 | 451,000
Goodwill impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,100,000 |  |
Corporate Activities [Member] | Hereford Ethanol Plant [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  | $ 18,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (18,500,000) |  |
Corporate Activities [Member] | Green Plains Cattle Company LLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,500,000 |  |
Corporate Activities [Member] | Bluffton, Lakota and Riga Ethanol Plants [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets |  |  |  | $ 89,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 150,400,000
[1] | During the third quarter of 2020, the company identified an immaterial issue which resulted in the overstatement of both revenues and cost of goods sold within the agribusiness and energy services segment as previously reported for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. The second quarter revenues and cost of goods sold reflected in the quarterly financial data have been revised to correct these amounts.
[2] | O perating loss for the ethanol production segment for fiscal year 2020 includes a goodwill impairment charge of $24.1 million and $3.9 million pretax loss on sale of assets from the sale of the Hereford, Texas ethanol plant.
[3] | Corporate activities for fiscal year 2020 include a goodwill impairment charge of $24.1 million, $18.5 million pretax loss on sale of assets from the sale of the Hereford, Texas ethanol plant and a $1.5 million net gain from sale of GPCC. Fiscal year 2018 includes a $150.4 million gain on the sale of the Bluffton, Indiana, Lakota, Iowa, and Riga, Michigan ethanol plants, as well as Fleischmann’s Vinegar during the fourth quarter.

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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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