Employee Benefit Plans

6 Months Ended

Feb. 29, 2012

Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

Note 9.    Employee Benefit Plans

Employee benefits information for the three and six months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011 is as follows:

	Qualified						Non-Qualified
	Pension Benefits						Pension Benefits					Other Benefits
	2012			2011			2012			2011		2012			2011
Components of net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011:
Service cost (credit)	$	6,501		$	6,467		$	(31	)	$	319	$	511		$	421
Interest cost		5,909			5,505			348			496		637			509
Expected return on plan assets		(9,985	)		(10,480	)
Prior service cost (credit) amortization		458			582			57			35		(26	)		(31	)
Actuarial loss amortization		3,744			3,960			113			256		206			87
Transition amount amortization													234			234
Net periodic benefit cost	$	6,627		$	6,034		$	487		$	1,106	$	1,562		$	1,220
Components of net periodic benefit costs for the six months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011:
Service cost	$	13,003		$	12,934		$	141		$	639	$	1,021		$	841
Interest cost		11,844			11,010			696			993		1,273			1,018
Expected return on plan assets		(20,009	)		(20,955	)
Prior service cost (credit) amortization		916			1,164			114			70		(52	)		(62	)
Actuarial loss amortization		7,476			7,924			225			509		413			174
Transition amount amortization													468			469
Net periodic benefit cost	$	13,230		$	12,077		$	1,176		$	2,211	$	3,123		$	2,440

Employer Contributions:

Total contributions to be made during fiscal 2012, including the NCRA plan, will depend primarily on market returns on the pension plan assets and minimum funding level requirements. During the six months ended February 29, 2012, CHS and NCRA made no contributions to the pension plans. At this time, we do not anticipate having to make a contribution for our benefit plans in fiscal 2012.