Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities Derivative Financial Insturments and Hedging Activities (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2017

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Reconciliation of gross and net fair values of assets and liabilities subject to offsetting arrangements [Table Text Block]



	February 28, 2017
			Amounts Not Offset on the Consolidated Balance Sheet but Eligible for Offsetting
	Gross Amounts Recognized		Cash Collateral		Derivative Instruments		Net Amounts
	(Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	348,144	$	—	$	19,843	$	328,301
Foreign exchange derivatives	27,548		—		10,317		17,231
Interest rate derivatives - hedge	6,892		—		—		6,892
Embedded derivative asset - current	4,029		—		—		4,029
Total current derivatives	$	386,613	$	—	$	30,160	$	356,453
Embedded derivative asset - long term	20,540		—		—		20,540
Total	$	407,153	$	—	$	30,160	$	376,993
Derivative Liabilities:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	254,618	$	80	$	19,843	$	234,695
Foreign exchange derivatives	18,537		—		10,317		8,220
Interest rate derivatives - hedge	2,327		—		—		2,327
Interest rate derivatives - non-hedge	2		—		—		2
Total	$	275,484	$	80	$	30,160	$	245,244



	August 31, 2016
			Amounts Not Offset on the Consolidated Balance Sheet but Eligible for Offsetting
	Gross Amounts Recognized		Cash Collateral		Derivative Instruments		Net Amounts
	(Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	500,192	$	—	$	23,689	$	476,503
Foreign exchange derivatives	21,551		—		9,187		12,364
Interest rate derivatives - hedge	22,078		—		—		22,078
Total	$	543,821	$	—	$	32,876	$	510,945
Derivative Liabilities:
Commodity and freight derivatives	$	491,302	$	811	$	23,689	$	466,802
Foreign exchange derivatives	22,289		—		9,187		13,102
Interest rate derivatives - non-hedge	8		—		—		8
Total	$	513,599	$	811	$	32,876	$	479,912

Schedule of Other Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, Statements of Financial Performance and Financial Position, Location [Table Text Block]

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The majority of our derivative instruments have not been designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes. The following table sets forth the pretax gains (losses) on derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments that have been included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and six months ended February 28, 2017, and February 29, 2016.



		For the Three Months Ended						For the Six Months Ended
	Location of Gain (Loss)	February 28, 2017			February 29, 2016			February 28, 2017			February 29, 2016
		(Dollars in thousands)
Commodity and freight derivatives	Cost of goods sold	$	56,896		$	54,971		$	75,305		$	90,017
Foreign exchange derivatives	Cost of goods sold	(3,429		)	(10,481		)	2,595			(9,798		)
Foreign exchange derivatives	Marketing, general and administrative	(951		)	7,605			(806		)	15,128
Interest rate derivatives	Interest expense	1			(500		)	4			(1,203		)
Embedded derivative	Other Income	468			—			29,574			—
Total		$	52,985		$	51,595		$	106,672		$	94,144

Schedule of Derivative Instruments, Purchase and Sales Contracts [Table Text Block]

all outstanding commodity and freight contracts accounted for as derivative instruments.



	February 28, 2017		August 31, 2016
	Long	Short	Long	Short
	(Units in thousands)
Grain and oilseed - bushels	635,896	1,001,200	774,279	995,396
Energy products - barrels	10,493	6,732	14,740	6,470
Processed grain and oilseed - tons	365	2,344	541	2,060
Crop nutrients - tons	160	225	108	135
Ocean and barge freight - metric tons	5,365	727	4,406	877
Rail freight - rail cars	165	51	205	79
Natural gas - MMBtu	2,467	—	3,550	300

Schedule of Derivative Instruments, Effect on Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the pretax gains (losses) recorded in other comprehensive income relating to cash flow hedges for the three and six months ended February 28, 2017, and February 29, 2016.



	For the Three Months Ended					For the Six Months Ended
	February 28, 2017		February 29, 2016			February 28, 2017		February 29, 2016
	(Dollars in thousands)
Interest rate derivatives	$	—	$	(3,252	)	$	—	$	(10,070	)

The following table presents the pretax gains (losses) relating to cash flow hedges that were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into income for the three and six months ended February 28, 2017, and February 29, 2016.



		For the Three Months Ended						For the Six Months Ended
	Location of Gain (Loss)	February 28, 2017			February 29, 2016			February 28, 2017			February 29, 2016
		(Dollars in thousands)
Interest rate derivatives	Interest expense	$	(436	)	$	(275	)	$	(877	)	$	(465	)