Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Operations of Seaboard Corporation and its Subsidiaries
Percentage of ownership interest held by Seaboard Flour LLC and SFC Preferred LLC	77.00%
Goodwill
Goodwill impairment charges	$ 0	$ 4
Goodwill, beginning balance	163	167
Foreign currency translation	(13)
Acquisition	4
Impairment	0	(4)
Goodwill, ending balance	154	163	$ 167
Intangible assets
Gross carrying amount	79	79
Accumulated amortization and currency translation	(48)	(34)
Net carrying amount	31	45
Intangible assets
Amortization of intangible assets	8	9	8
2023	8
2024	8
2025	8
2026	7
Changes in the asset retirement obligation
Beginning balance	29	27
Accretion expense	2	1
Liability for additional lagoons placed in service	1	1
Ending balance	32	29	27
Supplemental Non-Cash Transactions
Interest, net of interest capitalized	35	10	16
Income taxes, net of refunds	101	104	55
Capital expenditures included in accounts payable	15	5	7
Accounts Receivable
Trade	588	553
Due from affiliates	195	128
Other	171	112
Total receivables	954	793
Allowance for credit losses	(31)	(31)
Net receivables	923	762
Notes Receivable
Notes receivable, net	$ 40	30
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translation
Period of measurement to determine highly inflationary accounting	3 years
Three-year cumulative inflation rate	100.00%
Minimum
Principles of Consolidation and Investments in Affiliates
Time lag for reporting financial information	1 month
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful Lives	3 years
Maximum
Principles of Consolidation and Investments in Affiliates
Time lag for reporting financial information	3 months
Property, Plant and Equipment
Useful Lives	30 years
Pork
Goodwill
Goodwill, beginning balance	$ 18	18
Acquisition	4
Goodwill, ending balance	22	18	18
Commodity Trading and Milling
Goodwill
Goodwill impairment charges		4
Goodwill, beginning balance	145	149
Foreign currency translation	(13)
Impairment		(4)
Goodwill, ending balance	132	145	149
Customer relationships
Intangible assets
Gross carrying amount	51	51
Accumulated amortization and currency translation	(31)	(22)
Net carrying amount	20	29
Trade names
Intangible assets
Gross carrying amount	28	28
Accumulated amortization and currency translation	(17)	(12)
Net carrying amount	11	16
Allowance for Credit Losses
Movement in valuation and qualifying accounts
Balance at beginning of year	31	28	28
Transition Adjustment				$ 3
Provision	7	5
Net deductions	(7)	(2)	(3)
Balance at end of year	31	31	28	28
Allowance for Long-Term Notes Receivable
Movement in valuation and qualifying accounts
Balance at beginning of year	18	17	17
Provision		1
Net deductions	(1)
Balance at end of year	17	18	$ 17	$ 17
Accounts Receivable | Geographic concentration | Foreign Country
Accounts Receivable
Foreign receivables, excluding receivables due from affiliates	$ 659	$ 578
Net sales | Transferred at point in time
Revenue Recognition
Percentage of revenue	85.00%