Inventories - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2019
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventoryreclass	$ 55.1
Percentage of LIFO inventory		16.00%
LIFO inventory reserve	345.0	$ 215.0
Inventory Reclass Agronomy	314.4
Inventory Reclass Energy	$ 22.4

Amount by which inventory stated at last-in first-out (LIFO) is less than (in excess of) inventory stated at other inventory cost methods.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReserve
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant