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Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Jul. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes sales from the production of ethanol, distillers grains and non-food grade corn oil when title transfers to customers, upon shipment from its plant. Shipping and handling charges billed to customers are included in net sales and revenue. The Company includes income from real estate leasing activities in net sales and revenue. The Company accounts for these leases as operating leases. Accordingly, minimum rental revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.
Cost of Sales, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Cost of Sales Alternative energy cost of sales includes depreciation, costs of raw materials, inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, shipping costs, other distribution expenses, warehousing costs, plant management, certain compensation costs, and general facility overhead charges. Real estate cost of sales includes depreciation, real estate taxes, insurance, repairs and maintenance and other costs directly associated with operating the Company’s portfolio of real property.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses The Company includes non-production related costs from its alternative energy segment such as professional fees, selling charges and certain payroll in selling, general and administrative expenses. The Company includes costs not directly related to operating its portfolio of real property from its real estate segment such as certain payroll and related costs, professional fees and other general expenses in selling, general and administrative expenses. The Company includes costs associated with its corporate headquarters such as certain payroll and related costs, professional fees and other general expenses in selling, general and administrative expenses.
Interest Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Interest Cost Interest paid for the three months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013 was approximately $496,000 and $941,000, respectively. Interest paid for the six months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013 was approximately $1,316,000 and $1,922,000, respectively
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Financial Instruments The Company uses derivative financial instruments to manage its balance of fixed and variable rate debt. The Company does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. Interest rate swap agreements involve the exchange of fixed and variable rate interest payments and do not represent an actual exchange of the notional amounts between the parties. The swap agreement was not designated for hedge accounting pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). The interest rate swap is recorded at its fair value and the changes in fair value are recorded as gain or loss on derivative financial instruments in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations. The Company paid settlements of an interest rate swap of approximately $376,000 and $422,000 for the three months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company paid settlements of the interest rate swap of approximately $774,000 and $862,000 for the six months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Forward grain purchase and ethanol, distillers grains and non-food grade corn oil sale contracts are accounted for under the “normal purchases and normal sales” scope exemption of ASC 815 because these arrangements are for purchases of grain that will be delivered in quantities expected to be used by the Company and sales of ethanol, distillers grains and non-food grade corn oil quantities expected to be produced by the Company over a reasonable period of time in the normal course of business.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Income Taxes The Company applies an effective tax rate to interim periods that is consistent with the Company’s estimated annual tax rate. The Company provides for deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The Company provides for a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company paid income taxes of $18,521,000 during the six months ended July 31, 2014 and paid no income taxes during the six months ended July 31, 2013. As of July 31, 2014, total unrecognized tax benefits were approximately $1,451,000 and accrued penalties and interest were approximately $439,000. If the Company were to prevail on all unrecognized tax benefits recorded, approximately $24,000 of the reserve would benefit the effective tax rate. In addition, the impact of penalties and interest would also benefit the effective tax rate. Interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits are recorded within income tax expense. On a quarterly and annual basis, the Company accrues for the effects of open uncertain tax positions and the related potential penalties and interest.
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Inventories Inventories are carried at the lower of cost or market on a first-in, first-out basis. Alternative energy segment inventory includes direct production costs and certain overhead costs such as depreciation, property taxes and utilities related to producing ethanol and related by-products. Inventory is permanently written down for instances when cost exceeds estimated net realizable value; such write-downs are based primarily upon commodity prices as the market value of inventory is often dependent upon changes in commodity prices. There was no material permanent write-down of inventory at July 31, 2014 and January 31, 2014, respectively. Fluctuations in the write-down of inventory generally relate to the levels and composition of such inventory at a given point in time. The components of inventory at July 31, 2014 and January 31, 2014 are as follows (amounts in thousands):
|  | July 31, 2014 |  |  | January 31, 2014 |
Ethanol and other finished goods |  | $ | 3,764 |  |  | $ | 3,517 |
Work in process |  |  | 2,679 |  |  |  | 3,017 |
Grain and other raw materials |  |  | 10,844 |  |  |  | 12,836 |
Total |  | $ | 17,287 |  |  | $ | 19,370 |
Investment, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Investments The method of accounting applied to long-term investments, whether consolidated, equity or cost, involves an evaluation of the significant terms of each investment that explicitly grant or suggest evidence of control or influence over the operations of the investee and also includes the identification of any variable interests in which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company consolidates the results of two majority owned subsidiaries, One Earth and NuGen. The results of One Earth are included on a delayed basis of one month. The Company accounts for investments in limited liability companies in which it may have a less than 20% ownership interest, using the equity method of accounting when the factors discussed in ASC 323, “Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures” are met. The excess of the carrying value over the underlying equity in the net assets of equity method investees is allocated to specific assets and liabilities. Any unallocated excess is treated as goodwill and is recorded as a component of the carrying value of the equity method investee. Investments in businesses that the Company does not control but for which it has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial matters are accounted for using the equity method. Investments in which the Company does not have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial matters are accounted for using the cost method. The Company accounts for its investments in Big River Resources, LLC (“Big River”) and Patriot Holdings, LLC (“Patriot”) using the equity method of accounting and includes the results of these entities on a delayed basis of one month. The Company periodically evaluates its investments for impairment due to declines in market value considered to be other than temporary. Such impairment evaluations include, in addition to persistent, declining market prices, general economic and company-specific evaluations. If the Company determines that a decline in market value is other than temporary, then a charge to earnings is recorded in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations and a new cost basis in the investment is established.
Comprehensive Income, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Comprehensive Income The Company has no components of other comprehensive income, and therefore, comprehensive income equals net income.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Accounting Changes and Recently Issued Accounting Standards Effective February 1, 2014, the Company was required to adopt Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2013-11 (“ASU 2013-11”), “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists”. The update requires, unless certain conditions exists, an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, to be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. ASU 2013-11 was effective prospectively for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013, with early adoption permitted. Retrospective application is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2013-11 did not impact the Company’s financial statements. In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2014-08 (“ASU 2014-08”), “Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity” that changes the criteria for reporting a discontinued operation. Under this new guidance, only disposals of a component that represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results is a discontinued operation. Expanded disclosures about discontinued operations and disposals of a significant part of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations reporting are also required. ASU 2014-08 is effective beginning February 1, 2015 with early adoption permitted, but only for disposals (or classifications as held for sale) that have not been reported in previously-issued financial statements. Management has not determined the impact of adopting ASU 2014-08 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), “Revenue From Contracts With Customers”. The update requires revenue recognition to reflect the transfer of promised goods or services to customers and replaces existing revenue recognition guidance. The updated standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company will be required to adopt ASU 2014-09 effective February 1, 2017. The Company has not determined the impact of adopting ASU 2014-09 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for recognition of costs in the period which correspond to the sales and revenue categories presented in the statement of operations. The accounting policy may include the amount and nature of costs incurred, provisions associated with inventories, purchase discounts, freight and other costs included in cost of sales incurred and recorded in the period. This disclosure also includes the nature of costs of sales incurred and recorded in the statement of operations for the period relating to transactions with related parties. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 2 -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 605 -SubTopic 50 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6408645&loc=d3e63676-111659 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 19 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32840-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 30 -Section 05 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6423966&loc=d3e40913-109327 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 954 -SubTopic 740 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6491622&loc=d3e9504-115650 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 17 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32809-109319 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 25 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=37586315&loc=d3e32247-109318 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=37586315&loc=d3e32280-109318 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for recognizing interest expense, including the method of amortizing debt issuance costs. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18726-107790 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 10 -Section 05 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28365394&loc=d3e23770-108382 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for major classes of inventories, bases of stating inventories (for example, lower of cost or market), methods by which amounts are added and removed from inventory classes (for example, FIFO, LIFO, or average cost), loss recognition on impairment of inventories, and situations in which inventories are stated above cost. If inventory is carried at cost, this disclosure includes the nature of the cost elements included in inventory. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph a -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6361739&loc=d3e7789-107766 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 330 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28360613&loc=d3e4492-108314 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 330 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28360613&loc=d3e4556-108314 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Financial Reporting Release (FRR) -Number 206 -Paragraph b -Subparagraph i, ii -Chapter 2 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for investments in financial assets, including marketable securities (debt and equity securities with readily determinable fair values), investments accounted for under the equity method and cost method, securities borrowed and loaned, and repurchase and resale agreements. For marketable securities, the disclosure may include the entity's accounting treatment for transfers between investment categories and how the fair values for such securities are determined. Also, for all investments, an entity may describe its policy for assessing, recognizing and measuring impairment of the investment. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872867&loc=d3e40691-111596 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13433-108611 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27290-111563 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section M Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2,12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 2, 12 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition. If the entity has different policies for different types of revenue transactions, the policy for each material type of transaction is generally disclosed. If a sales transaction has multiple element arrangements (for example, delivery of multiple products, services or the rights to use assets) the disclosure may indicate the accounting policy for each unit of accounting as well as how units of accounting are determined and valued. The disclosure may encompass important judgment as to appropriateness of principles related to recognition of revenue. The disclosure also may indicate the entity's treatment of any unearned or deferred revenue that arises from the transaction. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18726-107790 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 13 -Section B -Paragraph Question 1 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 605 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.B.Q1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012821&loc=d3e214044-122780 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18823-107790 + Details
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