Segment Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	$ 1,582,296	$ 1,471,113
Operating Income (Loss):	63,458	93,356
Income (loss) from affiliates	(2,850)	9,569
Total Assets:	3,368,334		3,347,781
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	404,322		410,542
Allocation to individual segments of general corporate management oversight costs	0
Segment Totals
Segment Information
Operating Income (Loss):	70,926	101,860
Total Assets:	2,901,640		2,932,902
Pork
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	409,252	400,661
Operating Income (Loss):	32,264	52,873
Total Assets:	762,048		740,245
Commodity Trading and Milling
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	800,754	724,538
Operating Income (Loss):	12,328	25,693
Income (loss) from affiliates	2,090	707
Total Assets:	1,041,631		992,507
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	195,976		186,873
Marine
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	230,156	233,749
Operating Income (Loss):	(3,266)	491
Total Assets:	285,504		281,215
Sugar
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	66,164	73,619
Operating Income (Loss):	16,541	16,977
Income (loss) from affiliates	93	(1)
Total Assets:	239,006		254,445
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	2,754		2,775
Power
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	72,967	35,536
Operating Income (Loss):	12,939	5,820
Total Assets:	238,302		235,377
Turkey
Segment Information
Income (loss) from affiliates	(5,033)	8,863
Total Assets:	330,403		423,825
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	205,592		220,894
All Other
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	3,003	3,010
Operating Income (Loss):	120	6
Total Assets:	4,746		5,288
Corporate Items
Segment Information
Operating Income (Loss):	(7,468)	(8,504)
Total Assets:	$ 466,694		$ 414,879