Sale of Accounts Receivable	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Transfers and Servicing [Abstract]
Sale of Accounts Receivable	Sale of Accounts Receivable Since March 2012, the Company has had an accounts receivable securitization program (the “Program”) with certain commercial paper conduit purchasers and committed purchasers (collectively, the “Purchasers”). Under the Program, certain U.S.-originated trade accounts receivable are sold to a wholly-owned bankruptcy-remote entity, ADM Receivables, LLC (“ADM Receivables”). ADM Receivables in turn transfers such purchased accounts receivable in their entirety to the Purchasers pursuant to a receivables purchase agreement. In exchange for the transfer of the accounts receivable, ADM Receivables receives a cash payment of up to $1.2 billion and an additional amount upon the collection of the accounts receivable (deferred consideration). The Program terminates on June 20, 2019, unless extended. In March 2014, the Company entered into a second accounts receivable securitization program (the “Second Program”) with certain commercial paper conduit purchasers and committed purchasers (collectively, the “Second Purchasers”). Under the Second Program, certain non-U.S.-originated trade accounts receivable are sold to a wholly-owned bankruptcy-remote entity, ADM Ireland Receivables Company (“ADM Ireland Receivables”). ADM Ireland Receivables in turn transfers such purchased accounts receivable in their entirety to the Second Purchasers pursuant to a receivables purchase agreement. In exchange for the transfer of the accounts receivable, ADM Ireland Receivables receives a cash payment of up to $0.6 billion (€0.5 billion) and an additional amount upon the collection of the accounts receivable (deferred consideration). The Second Program terminates on March 15, 2019, unless extended. Under the Program and Second Program (collectively, the “Programs”), ADM Receivables and ADM Ireland Receivables use the cash proceeds from the transfer of receivables to the Purchasers and Second Purchasers (collectively, the "Purchasers") and other consideration to finance the purchase of receivables from the Company and the ADM subsidiaries originating the receivables. The Company accounts for these transfers as sales. The Company has no retained interests in the transferred receivables, other than collection and administrative responsibilities and its right to the deferred consideration. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company did not record a servicing asset or liability related to its retained responsibility, based on its assessment of the servicing fee, market values for similar transactions, and its cost of servicing the receivables sold. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the fair value of trade receivables transferred to the Purchasers under the Programs and derecognized from the Company’s consolidated balance sheet was $1.9 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. In exchange for the transfer as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company received cash of $1.5 billion and $1.4 billion and recorded a receivable for deferred consideration included in other current assets of $379 million and $307 million, respectively. Cash collections from customers on receivables sold were $34.8 billion, $33.5 billion, and $34.3 billion for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Of this amount, $14.8 billion, $12.5 billion, and $11.9 billion were cash collections on the deferred consideration reflected as cash inflows from investing activities for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Deferred consideration is paid to the Company in cash on behalf of the Purchasers as receivables are collected; however, as this is a revolving facility, cash collected from the Company’s customers is reinvested by the Purchasers daily in new receivable purchases under the Programs. The Company’s risk of loss following the transfer of accounts receivable under the Programs is limited to the deferred consideration outstanding. The Company carries the deferred consideration at fair value determined by calculating the expected amount of cash to be received and is principally based on observable inputs (a Level 2 measurement under the applicable accounting standards) consisting mainly of the face amount of the receivables adjusted for anticipated credit losses and discounted at the appropriate market rate. Payment of deferred consideration is not subject to significant risks other than delinquencies and credit losses on accounts receivable transferred under the Programs which have historically been insignificant. Transfers of receivables under the Programs during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 resulted in an expense for the loss on sale of $18 million, $10 million, and $6 million, respectively, which is classified as selling, general, and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of earnings. The Company reflects all cash flows related to the Programs as operating activities in its consolidated statements of cash flows because the cash received from the Purchasers upon both the sale and collection of the receivables is not subject to significant interest rate risk given the short-term nature of the Company’s trade receivables.

Sale of Accounts Receivable

Since March 2012, the Company has had an accounts receivable securitization program (the “Program”) with certain commercial paper conduit purchasers and committed purchasers (collectively, the “Purchasers”). Under the Program, certain U.S.-originated trade accounts receivable are sold to a wholly-owned bankruptcy-remote entity, ADM Receivables, LLC (“ADM Receivables”). ADM Receivables in turn transfers such purchased accounts receivable in their entirety to the Purchasers pursuant to a receivables purchase agreement. In exchange for the transfer of the accounts receivable, ADM Receivables receives a cash payment of up to $1.2 billion and an additional amount upon the collection of the accounts receivable (deferred consideration). The Program terminates on June 20, 2019, unless extended.

In March 2014, the Company entered into a second accounts receivable securitization program (the “Second Program”) with certain commercial paper conduit purchasers and committed purchasers (collectively, the “Second Purchasers”). Under the Second Program, certain non-U.S.-originated trade accounts receivable are sold to a wholly-owned bankruptcy-remote entity, ADM Ireland Receivables Company (“ADM Ireland Receivables”). ADM Ireland Receivables in turn transfers such purchased accounts receivable in their entirety to the Second Purchasers pursuant to a receivables purchase agreement. In exchange for the transfer of the accounts receivable, ADM Ireland Receivables receives a cash payment of up to $0.6 billion (€0.5 billion) and an additional amount upon the collection of the accounts receivable (deferred consideration). The Second Program terminates on March 15, 2019, unless extended.

Under the Program and Second Program (collectively, the “Programs”), ADM Receivables and ADM Ireland Receivables use the cash proceeds from the transfer of receivables to the Purchasers and Second Purchasers (collectively, the "Purchasers") and other consideration to finance the purchase of receivables from the Company and the ADM subsidiaries originating the receivables.

The Company accounts for these transfers as sales. The Company has no retained interests in the transferred receivables, other than collection and administrative responsibilities and its right to the deferred consideration. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company did not record a servicing asset or liability related to its retained responsibility, based on its assessment of the servicing fee, market values for similar transactions, and its cost of servicing the receivables sold.

As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the fair value of trade receivables transferred to the Purchasers under the Programs and derecognized from the Company’s consolidated balance sheet was $1.9 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. In exchange for the transfer as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company received cash of $1.5 billion and $1.4 billion and recorded a receivable for deferred consideration included in other current assets of $379 million and $307 million, respectively. Cash collections from customers on receivables sold were $34.8 billion, $33.5 billion, and $34.3 billion for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Of this amount, $14.8 billion, $12.5 billion, and $11.9 billion were cash collections on the deferred consideration reflected as cash inflows from investing activities for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Deferred consideration is paid to the Company in cash on behalf of the Purchasers as receivables are collected; however, as this is a revolving facility, cash collected from the Company’s customers is reinvested by the Purchasers daily in new receivable purchases under the Programs.

The Company’s risk of loss following the transfer of accounts receivable under the Programs is limited to the deferred consideration outstanding. The Company carries the deferred consideration at fair value determined by calculating the expected amount of cash to be received and is principally based on observable inputs (a Level 2 measurement under the applicable accounting standards) consisting mainly of the face amount of the receivables adjusted for anticipated credit losses and discounted at the appropriate market rate. Payment of deferred consideration is not subject to significant risks other than delinquencies and credit losses on accounts receivable transferred under the Programs which have historically been insignificant.

Transfers of receivables under the Programs during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 resulted in an expense for the loss on sale of $18 million, $10 million, and $6 million, respectively, which is classified as selling, general, and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of earnings.

The Company reflects all cash flows related to the Programs as operating activities in its consolidated statements of cash flows because the cash received from the Purchasers upon both the sale and collection of the receivables is not subject to significant interest rate risk given the short-term nature of the Company’s trade receivables.