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COMMITMENTS
12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2020
Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]  
Commitments Disclosure [Text Block]
11. COMMITMENTS

One Earth and NuGen have combined forward purchase contracts for approximately 12.1 million bushels of corn, the principal raw material for their ethanol plants. They expect to take delivery of a majority of the corn through April 2020.


One Earth and NuGen have combined forward purchase contracts for approximately 2,500,000 MnBtu (million british thermal units) of natural gas. They expect to take delivery of a majority of the natural gas through July 2020.


One Earth and NuGen have combined sales commitments for approximately 28.6 million gallons of ethanol, 107,000 tons of distillers grains and 16.0 million pounds of non-food grade corn oil. They expect to deliver the ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil through March 2020.


One Earth has entered into an agreement with an unrelated party for the use of a portion of the party’s natural gas pipeline. The term of the original agreement was 10 years, and the amount was $4,380,000, which was paid over 120 equal monthly installments of $36,500 beginning in February 2009. A new 15-year agreement, with monthly payments of $29,250 was effective February 1, 2019. One Earth paid approximately $358,000 in fiscal year 2019 and approximately $438,000 pursuant to the agreement in each of fiscal years 2018 and 2017.


One Earth and NuGen each have a contract with an unrelated party (“Distillers Grains Marketers”) for distillers grains marketing services. Under the terms of the contracts, the Distillers Grains Marketers will purchase all of One Earth's and NuGen’s distillers grains production during the term of the contracts. The contracts call for One Earth and NuGen to pay a fee per ton of distillers grains for the Distillers Grains Marketers’ services. The terms of the agreements are for one year and shall renew automatically for additional one-year terms, unless either party sends notice to the other party of its intent to terminate the agreement at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the then current term of the agreement. One Earth and NuGen combined incurred fees of approximately $936,000, $1,250,000 and $1,354,000 in fiscal years 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, for these marketing services.


The refined coal entity has various agreements (site license, operating agreements, etc.) containing payment terms based upon production of refined coal under which the Company is required to pay various fees. These fees totaled approximately $4,231,000, $9,927,000 and $5,468,000 in fiscal years 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.