Debt (Details Textual) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 07, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Recourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Recourse	Dec. 31, 2013 Nonrecourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Nonrecourse	Dec. 31, 2013 Nonrecourse December 31 2014	Dec. 31, 2013 Nonrecourse December 31 2015	Dec. 31, 2013 Nonrecourse December 31 2016	Dec. 31, 2013 Line of credit, variable rate (1.87% at December 31, 2013), payable at maturity, due 2015 Recourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Line of credit, variable rate (1.87% at December 31, 2013), payable at maturity, due 2015 Recourse	Dec. 31, 2013 Line of credit, variable rate (3.92% at December 31, 2013), payable at maturity, due 2022 Nonrecourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Line of credit, variable rate (3.92% at December 31, 2013), payable at maturity, due 2022 Nonrecourse	Dec. 31, 2013 Note payable, 4.76%, payable quarterly in varying amounts ($0.2 million for 2013) plus interest, due 2028	Dec. 31, 2013 Note payable, 3.56%, payable monthly in varying amounts plus interest, due 2021	Dec. 31, 2013 Five year term debenture bonds Recourse Available-for-sale Securities	Dec. 31, 2013 Ten year term debenture bonds Recourse Available-for-sale Securities	Dec. 31, 2013 15 year loan with fixed interest rate of 4.8% Recourse Available-for-sale Securities	Dec. 07, 2011 Short-term	Dec. 07, 2011 Long-term	Dec. 31, 2013 Standby letters of credit	Jun. 30, 2012 Standby letters of credit The Andersons Denison Ethanol LLC	Jun. 30, 2012 Line of credit Short Term Line Of Credit The Andersons Denison Ethanol LLC	Jun. 30, 2012 Line of credit Long Term Line Of Credit The Andersons Denison Ethanol LLC	Dec. 31, 2013 Nonrecourse The Andersons Denison Ethanol LLC	Jun. 30, 2012 Nonrecourse The Andersons Denison Ethanol LLC
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility	$ 0	$ 24,219,000		$ 90,000,000	$ 0	$ 20,000,000	$ 0	$ 4,219,000													$ 735,000,000	$ 115,000,000
Standby letters of credit outstanding																							29,900,000	500,000
Period of borrowings draw down under line of credit	90 days
Total borrowing capacity under lines of credit																									13,000,000	15,100,000		28,100,000
Notes and Loans Payable																											10,100,000	12,400,000
Interest rate of debt instruments												1.87%		3.92%		4.76%	3.56%
Face amount of debt																10,200,000	3,500,000
Loan term	15 years															15 years	8 years	5 years	10 years	15 years
Long term debt					417,136,000	419,825,000	10,075,000	22,563,000				0	25,000,000	0	9,378,000
Debenture bond bearing interest percentage																		2.65%	3.50%	4.50%
Debenture bond bearing interest Amount																		4,500,000	3,700,000	3,800,000
Minimum tangible net worth					300,000,000		27,000,000		33,000,000	36,000,000	40,000,000
Current Ratio Net Of Hedged Inventory Maximum					125.00%
Current ratio net of hedged inventory minimum					100.00%
Debt to capitalized ratio maximum					70.00%
Asset coverage ratio minimum					75.00%
Interest coverage ratio maximum					275.00%
Interest Coverage Ratio Minimum					1
Aggregate annual maturities of long term debt, 2013					46,000,000		6,000,000
Aggregate annual maturities of long term debt, 2014					86,100,000		3,100,000
Aggregate annual maturities of long term debt, 2015					26,400,000		1,000,000
Aggregate annual maturities of long term debt, 2016					46,800,000
Aggregate annual maturities of long term debt, Year Five					51,900,000
Aggregate annual maturities of long term debt there after					159,900,000
Working capital							5,000,000		8,000,000
Debt service coverage ratio							1.25
Debt Instrument Covenant Compliance Debt Service Coverage Ratio Minimum							1.00
Interest paid	$ 22,900,000	$ 21,700,000	$ 25,200,000