Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 423,969	$ 780,333	$ 1,083,007
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	447,492	355,422	306,247
Amortization of deferred major repair costs	73,483	45,953	45,070
Equity (income) loss from investments	(175,777)	(107,850)	(107,446)
Distributions from equity investments	178,464	80,917	79,685
Noncash patronage dividends received	(7,068)	(13,035)	(16,452)
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant and equipment	452	(7,350)	3,316
Loss (gain) on investments	(9,252)	(5,239)	(114,162)
Unrealized (gain) loss on crack spread contingent liability	(60,931)	(36,310)	(19,217)
Provision for doubtful accounts	57,200	2,806	9,050
Long-lived asset impairment	27,247	103,723	74,452
Deferred taxes	(24,178)	30,304	(24,397)
Other, net	424	3,681	7,777
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Receivables	46,405	314,313	101,083
Inventories	338,662	71,073	(37,792)
Derivative assets	(20,257)	100,715	(123,132)
Margin deposits	(37,115)	(8,534)	39,861
Supplier advance payments	44,047	3,127	67,688
Other current assets and other assets	120,993	(87,426)	(19,694)
Customer margin deposits and credit balances	20,841	(106,788)	(34,051)
Customer advance payments	5,664	(223,463)	164,021
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(129,259)	(558,120)	(189,803)
Derivative liabilities	36,283	(134,033)	134,925
Other liabilities	(94,291)	(34,209)	11,208
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,263,498	570,010	1,441,244
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment	(692,780)	(1,186,790)	(919,076)
Proceeds from disposition of property, plant and equipment	13,417	11,347	11,724
Expenditures for major repairs	(19,610)	(201,688)	(2,930)
Investments in joint ventures and other	(2,855,218)	(64,259)	(80,140)
Investments redeemed	33,821	19,927	138,485
Proceeds from sale of investments	39,229	7,733	4,668
Changes in notes receivable	(257,968)	(184,067)	(184,060)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(11,890)	(305,213)	(281,490)
Other investing activities, net	4,028	(5,658)	(3,576)
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,746,971)	(1,908,668)	(1,316,395)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from lines of credit and long term debt borrowings	31,586,968	8,954,420	4,591,982
Payments on lines of credit, long term debt and capital lease obligations	(29,232,842)	(9,141,240)	(4,540,558)
Manditorily redeemable noncontrolling interest payments	(153,022)	(65,981)	(65,981)
Payments on crack spread contingent liability	(2,625)	0	(8,670)
Changes in checks and drafts outstanding	50,257	(43,353)	(17,815)
Preferred stock issued	0	1,010,000	702,979
Preferred Stock Issuance Costs	(164)	(32,637)	(23,672)
Preferred stock dividends paid	(163,324)	(133,710)	(50,761)
Retirements of equities	(23,911)	(128,907)	(99,609)
Cash patronage dividends paid	(251,740)	(271,226)	(286,789)
Other financing activities, net	4,599	6,462	344
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,814,196	153,828	201,450
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(5,223)	5,436	(1,624)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(674,500)	(1,179,394)	324,675
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	953,813	2,133,207	1,808,532
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 279,313	$ 953,813	$ 2,133,207