Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Notes Payable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 31, 2018	May 31, 2018	Feb. 28, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017	Aug. 31, 2017	May 31, 2017	Feb. 28, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 2,272,196	$ 2,868,506	$ 3,071,639	$ 2,480,264	$ 1,985,163	$ 3,321,808	$ 3,867,438	$ 3,227,564
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate, at Point in Time	3.50%				2.40%
CHS Capital notes payable
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate, at Point in Time	2.82%				1.90%
CHS Capital notes payable | CHS Capital notes payable
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 834,932				$ 289,740
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Recourse loan commitments
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	98,300
Short-term bank loans and notes payable current borrowing capacity	180,900
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Short-Term Notes Payable, Surplus Funds Program [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	69,300
Revolving credit facility | Line of credit | Three-year revolving facility
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	315,000
Line of Credit Facility, Fair Value of Amount Outstanding	181,100
Revolving credit facility | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 1,437,264				$ 1,695,423