Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to The Andersons, Inc.	$ 10,145	$ 1,722	$ 14,423	$ (14,696)	$ (47,029)	$ (1,227)	$ 31,092	$ 4,097	$ 11,594	$ (13,067)	$ 109,726
Less: Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to non-vested restricted stock									9	29	569
Earnings available to common shareholders									$ 11,585	$ (13,096)	$ 109,157
Earnings per share – basic:
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic (shares)									28,193,000	28,288,000	28,367,000
Earnings per share-basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.36	$ 0.06	$ 0.51	$ (0.52)	$ (1.68)	$ (0.04)	$ 1.09	$ 0.14	$ 0.41	$ (0.46)	$ 3.85
Earnings per share – diluted:
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic (shares)									28,193,000	28,288,000	28,367,000
Effect of dilutive awards (shares)									238,000	0	85,000
Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted									28,431,000	28,288,000	28,452,000
Earnings per share-diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.36	$ 0.06	$ 0.51	$ (0.52)	$ (1.68)	$ (0.04)	$ 1.09	$ 0.14	$ 0.41	$ (0.46)	$ 3.84
Earnings Per Share (Textual) [Abstract]
Antidilutive stock-based awards outstanding (shares)									0		0