CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Nov. 30, 2021	Nov. 30, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales		$ 1,981,801	$ 1,391,803
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold		1,586,410	1,174,819
Selling, general and administrative expenses		122,595	113,627
Interest expense		11,035	14,259
Asset impairments		0	3,594
Total costs and expenses		1,720,040	1,306,299
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes		261,761	85,504
Income taxes		28,872	21,593
Earnings from continuing operations		232,889	63,911
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes		0	250
Income taxes		0	68
Earnings from discontinued operations		0	182
Net earnings		$ 232,889	$ 64,093
Basic earnings per share:
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	[1]	$ 1.92	$ 0.53
Earnings from discontinued operations (in USD per share)	[1]	0	0
Net earnings (in USD per share)	[1]	1.92	0.54
Diluted earnings per share:
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	[1]	1.90	0.53
Earnings from discontinued operations (in USD per share)	[1]	0	0
Net earnings (in USD per share)	[1]	$ 1.90	$ 0.53
Average basic shares outstanding (shares)		121,129,679	119,762,706
Average diluted shares outstanding (shares)		122,797,738	121,128,044

[1] *Earnings Per Share ("EPS") is calculated independently for each component and may not sum to Net EPS due to rounding.