Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Notes Payable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 31, 2020	Aug. 31, 2019
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 1,575,491	$ 2,156,108
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	1.96%	3.36%
CHS Capital notes payable
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate, at Point in Time	1.29%	2.90%
CHS Capital notes payable | CHS Capital notes payable
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 812,276	$ 825,558
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Recourse loan commitments
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	133,300
Short-term bank loans and notes payable current borrowing capacity	150,000
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Short-Term Notes Payable, Surplus Funds Program [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	134,900
Revolving credit facility
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	100,000
Revolving credit facility | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 763,215	$ 1,330,550