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Employee Benefits
12 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2020
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]  
Employee Benefits

P.        Employee benefits

Ferrellgas has no employees and is managed and controlled by its general partner. Ferrellgas assumes all liabilities, which include specific liabilities related to the following employee benefit plans for the benefit of the officers and employees of the general partner.

Ferrell Companies makes contributions to the employee stock ownership trust (the “Trust”), which causes a portion of the shares of Ferrell Companies owned by the Trust to be allocated to employees’ accounts over time. The allocation of Ferrell Companies’ shares to employee accounts causes a non-cash compensation charge to be incurred by Ferrellgas, equivalent to the fair value of such shares allocated. This non-cash compensation charge is reported separately in Ferrellgas’ consolidated statements of operations and thus is excluded from operating and general and administrative expenses. The non-cash compensation charges were $2.9 million, $5.7 million and $13.9 million during fiscal 2020,  2019 and 2018, respectively. Ferrellgas is not obligated to fund or make contributions to the Trust.

The general partner and its parent, Ferrell Companies, have a defined contribution 401(k) investment plan which covers substantially all employees. The plan, which qualifies under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, also provides for matching contributions under a cash or deferred arrangement based upon participant salaries and employee contributions to the plan. Matching contributions for fiscal 2020,  2019 and 2018 were $4.8 million, $4.6 million and $3.7 million, respectively.

The general partner terminated its defined benefit plan on December 15, 2018 and distributed account balances to participants in the form of lump sum payments or annuity contracts in September, 2019. The defined benefit plan trust account was closed and all remaining funds were rolled into the Ferrell Companies, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Trust as a plan contribution in December 2019. Prior to termination, this plan provided participants who were covered under a previously terminated plan with a guaranteed retirement benefit at least equal to the benefit they would have received under the prior terminated plan. Until July 31, 1999, benefits under the terminated plan were determined by years of credited service and salary levels. As of July 31, 1999, years of credited service and salary levels were frozen. The general partner’s prior funding policy for this plan was to contribute amounts deductible for Federal income tax purposes and invest the plan assets primarily in corporate stocks and bonds, U.S. Treasury bonds and short-term cash investments. During fiscal 2020,  2019 and 2018, other comprehensive income and other liabilities were adjusted by $(0.1) million, $(0.1) million and $0.1 million, respectively.

Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]  
Employee Benefits

P.    Employee benefits

Ferrellgas, L.P. has no employees and is managed and controlled by its general partner. Ferrellgas, L.P. assumes all liabilities, which include specific liabilities related to the following employee benefit plans for the benefit of the officers and employees of the general partner.

Ferrell Companies makes contributions to the employee stock ownership trust (the “Trust”), which causes a portion of the shares of Ferrell Companies owned by the Trust to be allocated to employees’ accounts over time. The allocation of Ferrell Companies’ shares to employee accounts causes a non-cash compensation charge to be incurred by Ferrellgas, L.P., equivalent to the fair value of such shares allocated. This non-cash compensation charge is reported separately in Ferrellgas, L.P.’s consolidated statements of operations and thus is excluded from operating and general and administrative expenses. The non-cash compensation charges were $2.9 million, $5.7 million and $13.9 million during fiscal 2020,  2019 and 2018, respectively. Ferrellgas, L.P. is not obligated to fund or make contributions to the Trust.

The general partner and its parent, Ferrell Companies, have a defined contribution 401(k) investment plan which covers substantially all employees. The plan, which qualifies under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, also provides for matching contributions under a cash or deferred arrangement based upon participant salaries and employee contributions to the plan. Matching contributions for fiscal 2020,  2019 and 2018 were $4.8 million, $4.6 million and $3.7 million, respectively.

The general partner terminated its defined benefit plan on December 15, 2018 and distributed account balances to participants in the form of lump sum payments or annuity contracts in September, 2019. The defined benefit plan trust account was closed and all remaining funds were rolled into the Ferrell Companies, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Trust as a plan contribution in December 2019. Prior to termination, this plan provided participants who were covered under a previously terminated plan with a guaranteed retirement benefit at least equal to the benefit they would have received under the prior terminated plan. Until July 31, 1999, benefits under the terminated plan were determined by years of credited service and salary levels. As of July 31, 1999, years of credited service and salary levels were frozen. The general partner’s prior funding policy for this plan was to contribute amounts deductible for Federal income tax purposes and invest the plan assets primarily in corporate stocks and bonds, U.S. Treasury bonds and short-term cash investments. During fiscal 2020,  2019 and 2018, other comprehensive income and other liabilities were adjusted by $(0.1) million, $(0.1) million and $0.1 million, respectively.