Fair Value Disclosures

3. FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES

The following methods, assumptions and valuation techniques were used in estimating the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments:

Level 1 – unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 1 unrealized gains and losses on commodity derivatives relate to exchange-traded open trade equity and option values in the Company’s brokerage accounts.

Level 2 – directly or indirectly observable inputs such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets other than quoted prices included within Level 1; quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active; and other inputs that are observable or can be substantially corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Grain inventories held for sale in the agribusiness segment are valued at nearby futures values, plus or minus nearby basis levels.

Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are a significant component of the fair value of the assets or liabilities. The Company currently does not have any recurring Level 3 financial instruments.

There have been no changes in valuation techniques and inputs used in measuring fair value. The following tables set forth the Company’s assets and liabilities by level for the periods indicated (in thousands):



	Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2014
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Reclassification for Balance Sheet
	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		Presentation		Total
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	207,034	$	-	$	-	$	207,034
Restricted cash		22,893		-		-		22,893
Margin deposits		130,425		-		(130,425)		-
Inventories carried at market		-		24,959		-		24,959
Unrealized gains on derivatives		58,091		10,783		(31,653)		37,221
Other assets (1)		2,319		-		-		2,319
Total assets measured at fair value	$	420,762	$	35,742	$	(162,078)	$	294,426

Liabilities:
Unrealized losses on derivatives	$	162,078	$	37,793	$	(162,078)	$	37,793
Other		25		-		-		25
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	162,103	$	37,793	$	(162,078)	$	37,818

(1) Represents long-term restricted cash related to the $22.0 million revenue bond of Green Plains Bluffton.



	Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2013
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Reclassification for Balance Sheet
	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		Presentation		Total
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	272,027	$	-	$	-	$	272,027
Restricted cash		26,994		-		-		26,994
Margin deposits		77,102		-		(77,102)		-
Inventories carried at market		-		23,782		-		23,782
Unrealized gains on derivatives		3,629		18,712		26,295		48,636
Other assets (1)		2,200		-		-		2,200
Total assets measured at fair value	$	381,952	$	42,494	$	(50,807)	$	373,639

Liabilities:
Unrealized losses on derivatives	$	50,807	$	4,612	$	(50,807)	$	4,612
Other		9		-		-		9
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	50,816	$	4,612	$	(50,807)	$	4,621

(1) Represents long-term restricted cash related to the $22.0 million revenue bond of Green Plains Bluffton.

The Company believes the fair value of its debt approximated its book value of $642.5 million at March 31, 2014 and the fair value of its debt approximated $775.7 million compared to a book value of $735.2 million at December 31, 2013. The Company estimates the fair value of its outstanding debt using Level 2 inputs. The Company believes the fair values of its accounts receivable and accounts payable approximated book value, which were $112.4 million and $84.4 million, respectively, at March 31, 2014 and $106.8 million and $112.0 million, respectively, at December 31, 2013.

Although the Company currently does not have any recurring Level 3 financial measurements, the fair values of the tangible assets and goodwill acquired and the equity component of convertible debt represent Level 3 measurements and were derived using a combination of the income approach, the market approach and the cost approach as considered appropriate for the specific assets or liabilities being valued.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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