SALES OF ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE (Activity of the Deferred Purchase Price Receivables) (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for Which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 689,382,000
Ending balance	706,595,000	$ 689,382,000
U.S. | Businesses Sold or Held for Sale
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for Which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Roll Forward]
Transfers of trade accounts receivable	141,000,000	173,200,000	$ 286,600,000
Collections	(125,600,000)	(174,400,000)	(311,400,000)
Exit from Programs	40,400,000
Australia | Businesses Sold or Held for Sale
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for Which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Roll Forward]
Transfers of trade accounts receivable	0	45,800,000	180,000,000
Collections	(3,700,000)	(61,700,000)	(209,200,000)
Exit from Programs	1,600,000
Deferred purchase price receivables
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for Which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	289,748,000	339,547,000	385,169,000
Transfers of trade accounts receivable	2,646,513,000	2,389,297,000	3,574,283,000
Collections	(2,596,836,000)	(2,439,096,000)	(3,619,905,000)
Exit from Programs	(124,302,000)
Ending balance	215,123,000	289,748,000	339,547,000
Deferred purchase price receivables | U.S.
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for Which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	212,762,000	269,778,000	329,797,000
Transfers of trade accounts receivable	2,251,118,000	1,933,477,000	2,944,627,000
Collections	(2,237,872,000)	(1,990,493,000)	(3,004,646,000)
Exit from Programs	(90,385,000)
Ending balance	135,623,000	212,762,000	269,778,000
Deferred purchase price receivables | Australia
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for Which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	26,662,000	18,038,000	34,071,000
Transfers of trade accounts receivable	16,914,000	175,593,000	298,179,000
Collections	(9,659,000)	(166,969,000)	(314,212,000)
Exit from Programs	(33,917,000)
Ending balance	0	26,662,000	18,038,000
Deferred purchase price receivables | Europe
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for Which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	50,324,000	51,731,000	21,301,000
Transfers of trade accounts receivable	378,481,000	280,227,000	331,477,000
Collections	(349,305,000)	(281,634,000)	(301,047,000)
Exit from Programs	0
Ending balance	$ 79,500,000	$ 50,324,000	$ 51,731,000