Derivatives

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Derivatives [Abstract]

Derivatives

4. Derivatives

The margin deposit assets and liabilities which were shown net on the face of the balance sheet in previous periods are now included in short-term commodity derivative assets and liabilities, as appropriate. Prior periods have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. The change in presentation had no effect on current or total assets and liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company’s operating results are affected by changes to commodity prices. The Grain and Ethanol businesses have established “unhedged” position limits (the amount of a commodity, either owned or contracted for, that does not have an offsetting derivative contract to lock in the price). To reduce the exposure to market price risk on commodities owned and forward grain and ethanol purchase and sale contracts, the Company enters into exchange traded commodity futures and options contracts and over the counter forward and option contracts with various counterparties, primarily via a regulated exchange such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and, to a lesser extent, via over-the-counter contracts with various counterparties. The Company’s forward purchase and sales contracts are for physical delivery of the commodity in a future period. Contracts to purchase commodities from producers generally relate to the current or future crop years for delivery periods quoted by regulated commodity exchanges. Contracts for the sale of commodities to processors or other commercial consumers generally do not extend beyond one year.

All of these contracts are considered derivatives. While the Company considers its commodity contracts to be effective economic hedges, the Company does not designate or account for its commodity contracts as hedges as defined under current accounting standards. The Company accounts for its commodity derivatives at estimated fair value, the same method it uses to value its grain inventory. The estimated fair value of the commodity derivative contracts that require the receipt or posting of cash collateral is recorded on a net basis (offset against cash collateral posted or received, also known as margin deposits) within commodity derivative assets or liabilities. Management determines fair value based on exchange-quoted prices and in the case of its forward purchase and sale contracts, estimated fair value is adjusted for differences in local markets and non-performance risk. For contracts for which physical delivery occurs, balance sheet classification is based on estimated delivery date. For futures, options and over-the-counter contracts in which physical delivery is not expected to occur but, rather, the contract is expected to be net settled, the Company classifies these contracts as current or noncurrent assets or liabilities, as appropriate, based on the Company’s expectations as to when such contracts will be settled.

Realized and unrealized gains and losses in the value of commodity contracts (whether due to changes in commodity prices, changes in performance or credit risk, or due to sale, maturity or extinguishment of the commodity contract) and grain inventories are included in sales and merchandising revenues in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

Generally accepted accounting principles permit a party to a master netting arrangement to offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments against the right to reclaim cash collateral or obligation to return cash collateral under the same master netting arrangement. Note 1 of the Company’s 2010 Form 10-K provides information surrounding the Company’s various master netting arrangements related to its futures, options and over-the-counter contracts. The following table presents at September 30, 2011, December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2010, a summary of the estimated fair value of the Company’s commodity derivative instruments that require cash collateral and the associated cash posted/received as collateral. The net asset or liability positions of these derivatives (net of their cash collateral) are determined on a counterparty-by-counterparty basis and are included within short-term commodity derivative assets (or liabilities) on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets:

	September 30, 2011					December 31, 2010					September 30, 2010
(in thousands)	Net derivative asset position			Net derivative liability position		Net derivative asset position			Net derivative liability position		Net derivative asset position			Net derivative liability position
Collateral paid	$	—		$	—	$	166,589		$	—	$	161,274		$	—
															—
Collateral received		(60,247	)		—		—			—		—			—
Fair value of derivatives		139,882			—		(146,330	)		—		(102,662	)		—
Balance at end of period	$	79,635		$	—	$	20,259		$	—	$	58,612		$	—

Certain of our contracts allow the Company to post grain inventory as collateral rather than cash. Grain inventory posted as collateral on our derivative contracts are recorded in Inventories on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and the estimated fair value of such inventory was $89.3 million, $27.3 million and $1.6 million as of September 30, 2011, December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2010, respectively.

The gains included in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and the line items in which they are located for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 are as follows:

(in thousands)	Three months ended September 30, 2011		Nine months  ended September 30, 2011
Gains on commodity derivatives included in sales and merchandising revenues	$	16,076	$	119,743

At September 30, 2011, the Company had the following bushels, tons and gallons outstanding (on a gross basis) on all commodity derivative contracts:

Commodity	Number of bushels (in thousands)		Number of tons (in thousands)		Number of gallons (in thousands)
Non-exchange traded:
Corn		288,009		—		—
Soybeans		30,819		—		—
Wheat		6,618		—		—
Oats		12,988		—		—
Soymeal		—		—		—
Ethanol		—		—		156,364
Other		1,033		—		—
Subtotal		339,467		—		156,364
Exchange traded:
Corn		112,170		—		—
Soybeans		20,740		—		—
Wheat		47,705		—		—
Oats		3,845		—		—
Ethanol		—		—		31,059
Other		—		—		70
Subtotal		184,460		—		31,129
Total		523,927		—		187,493

Interest Rate and Foreign Currency Derivatives

The Company periodically enters into interest rate contracts to manage interest rate risk on borrowing or financing activities. Information regarding the nature and terms of the Company’s interest rate derivatives is presented in Note 15 “Derivatives,” in the Company’s 2010 Form 10-K and such information is consistent with that as of September 30, 2011. The fair values of these derivatives are not material for any of the periods presented and are included in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet in either other current assets or liabilities (if short-term in nature) or in other assets or other long-term liabilities (if non-current in nature). The impact to the Company’s results of operations related to these interest rate derivatives was not material for any period presented.

The Company holds a zero cost foreign currency collar to hedge the change in conversion rate between the Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar for railcar leases in Canada. Information regarding the nature and terms of this derivative is presented in Note 15 “Derivatives,” in the Company’s 2010 Form 10-K and such information is consistent with that as of September 30, 2011. The fair value of this derivative and its impact to the Company’s results of operations for any of the periods presented were not material.