Notes Payable, Long-term Debt, Commitments and Contingencies (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2017 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 19, 2012 item
Debt Instrument
Total long-term debt at face value	$ 518	$ 517
Current maturities of long-term debt and unamortized discount	(19)	(18)
Long-term debt, less current maturities and unamortized discount	$ 499	499
Contingencies
Number of search warrants executed authorizing the seizure of certain records from Seaboard's offices in Merriam, Kansas and at the Seaboard Foods employment office and the human resources department in Guymon, Oklahoma. | item			3
Number of civil or criminal proceedings or charges filed | item	0
Uncommitted bank lines
Debt Instrument
Notes payable outstanding	$ 142
Maximum capacity	370
Letters of credit outstanding	3
Term loan due 2022
Debt Instrument
Total long-term debt at face value	$ 494	$ 497
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	2.61%	2.40%
Foreign subsidiary obligations due 2018 through 2023
Debt Instrument
Total long-term debt at face value	$ 24	$ 20
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	19.21%	22.39%
Wells Fargo | Committed bank line
Debt Instrument
Maximum capacity	$ 100
Outstanding balance	0
Foreign subsidiaries | Notes payable to bank
Debt Instrument
Notes payable outstanding	$ 142
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)	11.21%	14.88%
Foreign subsidiaries | Uncommitted bank lines
Debt Instrument
Maximum capacity	$ 320
Foreign subsidiaries | South African Rand | Notes payable to bank
Debt Instrument
Notes payable outstanding	60
Foreign subsidiaries | Argentine pesos | Notes payable to bank
Debt Instrument
Notes payable outstanding	35
Foreign subsidiaries | Zambian kwacha | Notes payable to bank
Debt Instrument
Notes payable outstanding	$ 4