SEGMENT REPORTING (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2014

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information Profit Loss And Revenue Percentage [Table Text Block]

Amounts below include corporate activities that are not separately reportable and income from synthetic fuel investments (amounts in thousands):

	Years Ended January 31,
	2014			2013			2012
Net sales and revenues:
Alternative energy	$	665,625		$	656,167		$	408,635
Real estate		466			472			244
Total net sales and revenues	$	666,091		$	656,639		$	408,879
Segment gross profit (loss):
Alternative energy	$	64,261		$	13,830		$	35,179
Real estate		(110	)		(228	)		(348	)
Total gross profit	$	64,151		$	13,602		$	34,831
Segment profit (loss):
Alternative energy segment profit (loss)	$	63,228		$	(1,027	)	$	48,580
Real estate segment loss		(358	)		(497	)		(603	)
Corporate expenses, net		(3,100	)		(2,298	)		(2,048	)
Income from synthetic fuel investments		—			—			2,883
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	$	59,770		$	(3,822	)	$	48,812
Sales of products alternative energy segment:
Ethanol		75	%		76	%		82	%
Dried distillers grains		19	%		18	%		17	%
Modified distillers grains		3	%		4	%		1	%
Other		3	%		2	%		—	%
Total		100	%		100	%		100	%
Sales of services real estate segment:
Leasing		100	%		100	%		100	%

	Years Ended January 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Interest income:
Alternative energy	$	62	$	37	$	48
Real estate		—		—		—
Corporate and other		74		87		319
Total interest income	$	136	$	124	$	367
Depreciation and amortization expense:
Alternative energy	$	16,914	$	16,073	$	11,653
Real estate		131		137		103
Corporate and other		—		—		—
Total depreciation and amortization expense	$	17,045	$	16,210	$	11,756
Equity in income of unconsolidated affiliates:
Alternative energy	$	17,175	$	627	$	21,532
Real estate		—		—		—
Total equity in income of unconsolidated affiliates	$	17,175	$	627	$	21,532
Additions to property and equipment:
Alternative energy	$	3,374	$	2,802	$	7,276
Real estate		—		—		66
Corporate and other		394		—		—
Total additions to property and equipment	$	3,768	$	2,802	$	7,342

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information Assets [Table Text Block]

	January 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Assets:
Alternative energy	$	356,589	$	337,857	$	367,029
Real estate		4,722		13,326		17,458
Corporate and other		66,557		54,147		53,562
Total assets	$	427,868	$	405,330	$	438,049
Additions to other long lived assets:
Alternative energy	$	1,030	$	645	$	2,624
Real estate		—		—		—
Total additions to other long lived assets	$	1,030	$	645	$	2,624
Current and long term debt:
Alternative energy	$	75,726	$	106,309	$	122,678
Corporate and other		—		620		1,071
Total long term debt	$	75,726	$	106,929	$	123,749