Derivatives

3 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Derivatives

G. Derivatives

Commodity Price Risk Management

Ferrellgas' risk management activities primarily attempt to mitigate price risks related to the purchase, storage, transport and sale of propane generally in the contract and spot markets from major domestic energy companies on a short-term basis. Ferrellgas attempts to mitigate these price risks through the use of financial derivative instruments and forward propane purchase and sales contracts.

Ferrellgas' risk management strategy involves taking positions in the forward or financial markets that are equal and opposite to Ferrellgas' positions in the physical products market in order to minimize the risk of financial loss from an adverse price change. This risk management strategy is successful when Ferrellgas' gains or losses in the physical product markets are offset by its losses or gains in the forward or financial markets. These financial derivatives are designated as cash flow hedges.

Ferrellgas' risk management activities include the use of financial derivative instruments including, but not limited to, price swaps, options, futures and basis swaps to seek protection from adverse price movements and to minimize potential losses. Ferrellgas enters into these financial derivative instruments directly with third parties in the over-the-counter market and with brokers who are clearing members with the New York Mercantile Exchange. Ferrellgas also enters into forward propane purchase and sales contracts with counterparties. These forward contracts qualify for the normal purchase normal sales exception within GAAP guidance and are therefore not recorded on Ferrellgas' financial statements until settled.

Cash Flow Hedging Activity

Ferrellgas uses financial derivative instruments for risk management purposes to hedge a portion of its exposure to market fluctuations in propane prices. These financial derivative instruments are designated as cash flow hedging instruments, thus the effective portions of changes in the fair value of the financial derivatives are recorded in OCI prior to settlement and are subsequently recognized in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings in "Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids sales" when the forward or forecasted propane sales transaction impacts earnings. The effectiveness of cash flow hedges is evaluated at inception and on an on-going basis. Changes in the fair value of cash flow hedges due to hedge ineffectiveness, if any, are recognized in "Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids sales." During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, Ferrellgas did not recognize any gain or loss in earnings related to hedge ineffectiveness and did not exclude any component of the financial derivative contract gain or loss from the assessment of hedge effectiveness related to these cash flow hedges.

The fair value of the financial derivative instruments below are included within "Prepaid expenses and other current assets" and "Other current liabilities" on the condensed consolidated balance sheets:

	October 31, 2011	July 31, 2011
Derivatives – Price risk management assets	$2,044	$7,637
Derivatives – Price risk management liabilities	$1,290	$2,476

Ferrellgas had the following cash flow hedge activity included in OCI in the condensed consolidated statements of partners' capital:

	For the three months ended October 31,
	2011	2010
Fair value gain (loss) adjustment classified as OCI with offset in Price risk management assets and Price risk management liabilities	$(2,528)	$5,002
Reclassification of net gains originally recorded within OCI to Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids	$  1,879	$  583

Ferrellgas expects to reclassify net gains of approximately $0.8 million to earnings during the next 12 months. These net gains are expected to be offset by margins on propane sales commitments Ferrellgas has with its customers that qualify for the normal purchase normal sales exception.

During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, Ferrellgas had no reclassifications to earnings resulting from discontinuance of any cash flow hedges arising from the probability of the original forecasted transactions not occurring within the originally specified period of time defined within the hedging relationship.

As of October 31, 2011, Ferrellgas had financial derivative contracts covering 0.7 million barrels of propane that were entered into as cash flow hedges of forward and forecasted purchases of propane.

During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, four counterparties represented 90% and 95%, respectively, of net settled cash flow hedging positions reported in "Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids sales." During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, Ferrellgas neither held nor entered into financial derivative contracts that contained credit risk related contingency features.

In accordance with GAAP, Ferrellgas determines the fair value of its assets and liabilities subject to fair value measurement by using the highest possible "Level" as defined within the GAAP hierarchy. The three levels defined by the GAAP hierarchy are as follows:

·Level 1 – Quoted prices available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

·Level 2 – Pricing inputs not quoted in active markets but either directly or indirectly observable.

·Level 3 – Significant inputs to pricing that have little or no transparency with inputs requiring significant management judgment or estimation.

Ferrellgas considers over-the-counter derivative instruments entered into directly with third parties as Level 2 valuation since the values of these derivatives are quoted by third party brokers and are on an exchange for similar transactions. The market prices used to value Ferrellgas' derivatives have been determined using independent third party prices, readily available market information, broker quotes, and appropriate valuation techniques. 

The following tables provide the amounts and their corresponding level of hierarchy for our assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value. All financial derivatives assets and liabilities were non-trading positions.

	As of October 31, 2011
Fair value of derivatives	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Total
Price risk management assets	n/a	$2,044	n/a	$2,044
Price risk management liabilities	n/a	$1,290	n/a	$1,290

	As of July 31, 2011
Fair value of derivatives	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Total
Price risk management assets	n/a	$7,637	n/a	$7,637
Price risk management liabilities	n/a	$2,476	n/a	$2,476

Ferrellgas, L.P. And Subsidiaries [Member]

Derivatives

G.   Derivatives

Commodity Price Risk Management

Ferrellgas, L.P.'s risk management activities primarily attempt to mitigate price risks related to the purchase, storage, transport and sale of propane generally in the contract and spot markets from major domestic energy companies on a short-term basis. Ferrellgas, L.P. attempts to mitigate these price risks through the use of financial derivative instruments and forward propane purchase and sales contracts.

Ferrellgas, L.P.'s risk management strategy involves taking positions in the forward or financial markets that are equal and opposite to Ferrellgas, L.P.'s positions in the physical products market in order to minimize the risk of financial loss from an adverse price change. This risk management strategy is successful when Ferrellgas, L.P.'s gains or losses in the physical product markets are offset by its losses or gains in the forward or financial markets. These financial derivatives are designated as cash flow hedges.

Ferrellgas, L.P.'s risk management activities include the use of financial derivative instruments including, but not limited to, price swaps, options, futures and basis swaps to seek protection from adverse price movements and to minimize potential losses. Ferrellgas, L.P. enters into these financial derivative instruments directly with third parties in the over-the-counter market and with brokers who are clearing members with the New York Mercantile Exchange. Ferrellgas, L.P. also enters into forward propane purchase and sales contracts with counterparties. These forward contracts qualify for the normal purchase normal sales exception within GAAP guidance and are therefore not recorded on Ferrellgas, L.P.'s financial statements until settled.

Cash Flow Hedging Activity

Ferrellgas, L.P. uses financial derivative instruments for risk management purposes to hedge a portion of its exposure to market fluctuations in propane prices. These financial derivative instruments are designated as cash flow hedging instruments, thus the effective portions of changes in the fair value of the financial derivatives are recorded in OCI prior to settlement and are subsequently recognized in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings in "Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids sales" when the forward or forecasted propane sales transaction impacts earnings. The effectiveness of cash flow hedges is evaluated at inception and on an on-going basis. Changes in the fair value of cash flow hedges due to hedge ineffectiveness, if any, are recognized in "Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids sales." During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, Ferrellgas, L.P. did not recognize any gain or loss in earnings related to hedge ineffectiveness and did not exclude any component of the financial derivative contract gain or loss from the assessment of hedge effectiveness related to these cash flow hedges.

The fair value of the financial derivative instruments below are included within "Prepaid expenses and other current assets" and "Other current liabilities" on the condensed consolidated balance sheets:

	October 31, 2011	July 31, 2011
Derivatives – Price risk management assets	$2,044	$7,637
Derivatives – Price risk management liabilities	$1,290	$2,476

Ferrellgas, L.P. had the following cash flow hedge activity included in OCI in the condensed consolidated statement of partners' capital for the three months ended October 31, 2011:

Fair value loss adjustment classified as OCI with offset in Price risk management assets and Price risk management liabilities	$(2,528)
Reclassification of net gains originally recorded within OCI to Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids	$  1,879

Ferrellgas, L.P. expects to reclassify net gains of approximately $0.8 million to earnings during the next 12 months. These net gains are expected to be offset by margins on propane sales commitments Ferrellgas, L.P. has with its customers that qualify for the normal purchase normal sales exception.

During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, Ferrellgas, L.P. had no reclassifications to earnings resulting from discontinuance of any cash flow hedges arising from the probability of the original forecasted transactions not occurring within the originally specified period of time defined within the hedging relationship.

As of October 31, 2011, Ferrellgas, L.P. had financial derivative contracts covering 0.7 million barrels of propane that were entered into as cash flow hedges of forward and forecasted purchases of propane.

During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, four counterparties represented 90% and 95%, respectively, of net settled cash flow hedging positions reported in "Cost of product sold – propane and other gas liquids sales." During the three months ended October 31, 2011 and 2010, Ferrellgas, L.P. neither held nor entered into financial derivative contracts that contained credit risk related contingency features.

In accordance with GAAP, Ferrellgas, L.P. determines the fair value of its assets and liabilities subject to fair value measurement by using the highest possible "Level" as defined within the GAAP hierarchy. The three levels defined by the GAAP hierarchy are as follows:

·Level 1 – Quoted prices available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

·Level 2 – Pricing inputs not quoted in active markets but either directly or indirectly observable.

·Level 3 – Significant inputs to pricing that have little or no transparency with inputs requiring significant management judgment or estimation.

Ferrellgas, L.P. considers over-the-counter derivative instruments entered into directly with third parties as Level 2 valuation since the values of these derivatives are quoted by third party brokers and are on an exchange for similar transactions. The market prices used to value Ferrellgas, L.P.'s derivatives have been determined using independent third party prices, readily available market information, broker quotes, and appropriate valuation techniques.

The following tables provide the amounts and their corresponding level of hierarchy for our assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value. All financial derivatives assets and liabilities were non-trading positions.

	As of October 31, 2011
Fair value of derivatives	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Total
Price risk management assets	n/a	$2,044	n/a	$2,044
Price risk management liabilities	n/a	$1,290	n/a	$1,290

	As of July 31, 2011
Fair value of derivatives	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Total
Price risk management assets	n/a	$7,637	n/a	$7,637
Price risk management liabilities	n/a	$2,476	n/a	$2,476