Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Notes Payable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 2,156,108	$ 2,272,196
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	$ 2,750,000
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate, at Point in Time	3.36%	3.50%
CHS Capital notes payable
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate, at Point in Time	2.90%	2.82%
CHS Capital notes payable | CHS Capital notes payable
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 825,558	$ 834,932
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Recourse loan commitments
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	42,300
Short-term bank loans and notes payable current borrowing capacity	65,800
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Short-Term Notes Payable, Surplus Funds Program [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	63,800
Revolving credit facility | Line of credit | Three-year revolving facility
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	315,000
Revolving credit facility | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 1,330,550	$ 1,437,264