Investments - Schedule of Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014	May 31, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity (income) loss from investments		$ (175,777)	$ (107,850)	$ (107,446)
Net income attributable to CHS Inc.		424,192	781,045	1,081,435
Cost Method Investments	$ 127,577	127,577	130,456
Investments	3,795,976	3,795,976	1,002,092
CF Nitrogen LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Revenue	1,027,142
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Current Assets	534,878	534,878
Equity Method Investments	2,796,323	2,796,323	0
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Noncurrent Assets	7,043,121	7,043,121
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Current Liabilities	556,696	556,696
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Noncurrent Liabilities	0	0
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Gross Profit (Loss)	243,911
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Net Income (Loss)	186,665
Net income attributable to CHS Inc.	74,700
Ventura Foods, LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	$ 369,487	$ 369,487	347,749
Ardent Mills LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	12.00%	12.00%
Proceeds from Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions, Return of Capital				121,200
Equity Method Investments	$ 194,986	$ 194,986	196,808
Horizon Milling, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage					24.00%
Equity Method Investment, Additional Cash Contribution				32,800
Equity Method Investment, Realized Gain (Loss) on Disposal				$ 109,200
TEMCO, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	50.00%	50.00%
Joint venture contract, term		25 years
Equity Method Investments	$ 44,578	$ 44,578	57,656
Cargill, Inc. [Member] | TEMCO, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership of joint venture partner	50.00%	50.00%
Miscellaneous Investments [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	$ 263,025	$ 263,025	$ 269,423
Nitrogen Production [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity (income) loss from investments		(74,700)
Nitrogen Production [Member] | CF Nitrogen LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity (income) loss from investments		$ 74,700
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	11.40%	11.40%