Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

May. 31, 2015

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of CHS and all of our wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries and limited liability companies, including National Cooperative Refinery Association (NCRA) in our Energy segment. The effects of all significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

In our Energy segment, major maintenance activities (turnarounds) at our two refineries are accounted for under the deferral method. Turnarounds are the scheduled and required shutdowns of refinery processing units. The costs related to the significant overhaul and refurbishment activities include materials and direct labor costs. The costs of turnarounds are deferred when incurred and amortized on a straight-line basis over the period of time estimated to lapse until the next turnaround occurs, which is generally 2 to 4 years. The amortization expense related to turnaround costs is included in cost of goods sold in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. The selection of the deferral method, as opposed to expensing the turnaround costs when incurred, results in deferring recognition of the turnaround expenditures. The deferral method also results in the classification of the related cash outflows as investing activities in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, whereas expensing these costs as incurred would result in classifying the cash outflows as operating activities.    

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-07, "Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent)." The update provides guidance on the disclosures for investments in certain entities that calculate net asset value (NAV) per share (or its equivalent). The amendments remove the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient. ASU No. 2015-07 is to be applied retrospectively and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early application permitted. We do not expect the standard to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements in fiscal 2016.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, "Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis." ASU No. 2015-02 amended the process that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. ASU No. 2015-02 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2015, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter. Early application is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact the adoption will have on our consolidated financial statements in fiscal 2017.

In November 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-16, "Determining Whether the Host Contract in a Hybrid Financial Instrument Issued in the Form of a Share Is More Akin to Debt or to Equity." The amendments in this ASU do not change the current criteria in GAAP for determining when separation of certain embedded derivative features in a hybrid financial instrument is required. The amendments clarify that an entity should consider all relevant terms and features, including the embedded derivative feature being evaluated for bifurcation, in evaluating the nature of the host contract. The ASU applies to all entities that are issuers of, or investors in, hybrid financial instruments that are issued in the form of a share and is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2014-16 is not expected to have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements in fiscal 2016.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers." ASU No. 2014-09 requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those good or services. The guidance also requires an entity to disclose sufficient qualitative and quantitative information surrounding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts from customers. This ASU supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance throughout the Industry Topics of the Codification. The amendments in this standard are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016, although the FASB has issued an exposure draft proposing to delay the effective date by one year (though early adoption would be allowed). The guidance permits the use of either a retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. We have not yet selected a transition method and we are currently evaluating the impact the adoption will have on our consolidated financial statements.