Inventories (Details) (USD $)	May 31, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012
Inventories
Sugar, Agri-Products, and Sugarbeet Seed	$ 536,145,000	$ 193,352,000	$ 425,189,000
Unprocessed Sugarbeets	4,571,000	11,575,000
Operating Supplies and Maintenance Parts	58,528,000	67,759,000	59,901,000
Total Inventories	599,244,000	272,686,000	485,090,000
Reserve for inventory obsolescence	$ 17,600,000	$ 16,900,000	$ 15,200,000