Segment Information (Summary Of Financial Data) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 883,707		$ 947,413		$ 870,356		$ 775,395		$ 922,791	$ 957,018	$ 861,576	$ 812,327	$ 3,476,870	$ 3,553,712	$ 2,133,922
Gross profit													96,771	172,232	152,526
Operating income (loss)	68,435	[1]	8,624	[1]	(1,083)	[1]	(11,091)	[1]	32,184	29,045	17,788	19,996	64,885	99,013	92,051
Income (loss) before income taxes													25,156	61,899	66,051
Depreciation and amortization													52,828	50,076	37,355
Interest expense													37,521	36,645	26,144
Capital expenditures													26,776	42,483	20,030
Revenue Including Intersegment Activity [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues													5,419,402	5,797,883	3,309,479
Ethanol Production [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													1,909,243	2,133,921	1,115,425
Gross profit													(4,895)	87,010	105,079
Operating income (loss)													(20,393)	73,242	93,410
Income (loss) before income taxes													(42,430)	49,612	72,903
Depreciation and amortization													44,239	43,169	32,619
Interest expense													22,081	23,725	20,572
Capital expenditures													7,637	11,416	6,763
Ethanol Production [Member] | Revenue From External Customers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													200,443	128,780	63,001
Ethanol Production [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													1,708,800	2,005,141	1,052,424
Corn Oil Production [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													57,844	44,857	1,702
Gross profit													32,388	27,067	878
Operating income (loss)													32,140	26,999	878
Income (loss) before income taxes													32,142	26,998	878
Depreciation and amortization													1,156	859	44
Capital expenditures													725	15,375	6,277
Corn Oil Production [Member] | Revenue From External Customers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													529	1,466	995
Corn Oil Production [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													57,315	43,391	707
Agribusiness [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													584,684	554,140	370,752
Gross profit													35,973	34,749	25,199
Operating income (loss)													60,030	11,721	5,614
Income (loss) before income taxes													54,172	6,170	2,464
Depreciation and amortization													4,209	3,975	3,070
Interest expense													5,881	5,569	3,169
Capital expenditures													2,006	8,977	4,525
Agribusiness [Member] | Revenue From External Customers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													408,622	358,968	248,619
Agribusiness [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													176,062	195,172	122,133
Marketing And Distribution [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													2,867,631	3,064,965	1,821,600
Gross profit													32,362	23,112	21,192
Operating income (loss)													17,290	9,475	9,673
Income (loss) before income taxes													13,768	6,760	8,330
Depreciation and amortization													1,942	1,623	1,383
Interest expense													3,532	2,716	1,344
Capital expenditures													15,791	2,476	2,275
Marketing And Distribution [Member] | Revenue From External Customers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													2,867,276	3,064,498	1,821,307
Marketing And Distribution [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment revenue													355	467	293
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues													(1,942,532)	(2,244,171)	(1,175,557)
Gross profit													943	294	178
Operating income (loss)													977	334	188
Income (loss) before income taxes													977	334	188
Interest expense													(1,137)	(849)	(95)
Corporate Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)													(25,159)	(22,758)	(17,712)
Income (loss) before income taxes													(33,473)	(27,975)	(18,712)
Depreciation and amortization													1,282	450	239
Interest expense													7,164	5,484	1,154
Capital expenditures													$ 617	$ 4,239	$ 190

[1] Operating income for the three months ended December 31, 2012, included a $47.1 million gain on the disposal of assets. Refer to Note 3 - Acquisitions and Dispositions for further detail of the transaction.