Segment Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 29, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 29, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	$ 1,684,039	$ 1,510,593	$ 3,266,335	$ 2,981,706
Operating Income (Loss):	53,549	60,723	117,007	154,079
Income (loss) from affiliates	(4,547)	9,816	(7,397)	19,385
Total Assets:	3,345,758		3,345,758		3,347,781
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	403,969		403,969		410,542
Allocation to individual segments of general corporate management oversight costs			0
Segment Totals
Segment Information
Operating Income (Loss):	54,763	64,945	125,689	166,805
Total Assets:	2,849,486		2,849,486		2,932,902
Pork
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	416,850	400,667	826,102	801,328
Operating Income (Loss):	23,634	20,846	55,898	73,719
Total Assets:	778,556		778,556		740,245
Commodity Trading and Milling
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	894,762	725,076	1,695,516	1,449,614
Operating Income (Loss):	8,610	11,467	20,938	37,160
Income (loss) from affiliates	(2,278)	4,305	(188)	5,012
Total Assets:	963,009		963,009		992,507
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	197,949		197,949		186,873
Marine
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	226,725	236,062	456,881	469,811
Operating Income (Loss):	(4,114)	1,081	(7,380)	1,572
Total Assets:	278,254		278,254		281,215
Sugar
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	67,890	77,633	134,054	151,252
Operating Income (Loss):	11,578	20,734	28,119	37,711
Income (loss) from affiliates	24	(61)	117	(62)
Total Assets:	238,033		238,033		254,445
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	2,654		2,654		2,775
Power
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	74,812	67,248	147,779	102,784
Operating Income (Loss):	15,037	10,654	27,976	16,474
Total Assets:	255,707		255,707		235,377
Turkey
Segment Information
Income (loss) from affiliates	(2,293)	5,572	(7,326)	14,435
Total Assets:	331,456		331,456		423,825
Investment in and Advances to Affiliates:	203,366		203,366		220,894
All Other
Segment Information
Sales to External Customers:	3,000	3,907	6,003	6,917
Operating Income (Loss):	18	163	138	169
Total Assets:	4,471		4,471		5,288
Corporate Items
Segment Information
Operating Income (Loss):	(1,214)	(4,222)	(8,682)	(12,726)
Total Assets:	$ 496,272		$ 496,272		$ 414,879