Related Parties (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 entities	Dec. 31, 2010 entities	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2007	Jun. 30, 2010 LTG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC [Member] gal	Dec. 31, 2009 The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2007 The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2006 The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Lansing Trade Group LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 The Andersons Clymers Ethanol LLC [Member] gal	Sep. 30, 2010 The Andersons Albion Ethanol LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 The Andersons Albion Ethanol LLC [Member] gal
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership after redemption						52.00%
Capacity of production facility gallon per year							110,000,000					110,000,000		55,000,000
Additional units purchased from investors													59
Number of units hold by company													5,001
Percentage of company ownership interest							50.00%	50.00%		50.00%	52.00%	38.00%	50.01%	50.00%
Additional investment for minority interest ownership by noncontrolling owners								$ 1,100,000
Equity method investment ownership percentage transferred									50.00%
Reduction in ownership percentage											2.00%
Related Parties (Textual) [Abstract]
Related party, Gross liability		1,900,000
Related party, Gross asset		600,000
Percentage of ethanol purchase		100.00%
Revenues recognized for the sale of ethanol		678,800,000	482,600,000	402,100,000
Percentage of corn used in production		100.00%
Revenues recognized for the sale of corn		706,600,000	445,600,000	404,200,000
Number of ethanol entities		3	3
Receivables from ethanol entities		7,800,000	6,800,000
Receivables due from related parties due more than thirty days		3,000	15,000
Total distributions received from unconsolidated affiliates		17,800,000
Undistributed earnings included in retained earnings		66,500,000
Noncontrolling interest in TAEI is attributed of all gains and losses of TAME					34.00%
Investment in convertible preferred securities	13,100,000		13,100,000
Percentage of new shares acquired from subsidiary	100.00%
Voting interest in IANR	49.90%
Voting interest held by the common shareholders	50.10%
Rate of dividends accrued annually		14.00%
Estimated fair value of the Company's investment in IANR		20,400,000
Number of board of directors		5
Directors from the Company		2
Directors from common shareholders		2
Independent director		1
Number of board of directors required to take key decision		4
Current maximum exposure to loss related to IANR		22,300,000
Investment and unpaid accrued dividends		1,900,000
Dividends received		$ 900,000