13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating Leases

The Company leases certain facilities and parcels of land under agreements that expire at various dates. For accounting purposes, rent expense is based on a straight-line amortization of the total payments required over the lease term. The Company incurred lease expenses of $6.6 million and $5.0 million during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Aggregate minimum lease payments under these agreements for the remainder of 2014 and in future fiscal years are as follows (in thousands):



Year Ending December 31,	Amount
2014	$	26,269
2015		17,500
2016		15,302
2017		10,240
2018		7,807
Thereafter		7,001
Total	$	84,119

Commodities

As of March 31, 2014 the Company had contracted for future purchases of grain, natural gas, ethanol and distillers grains valued at approximately $663.7 million, $29.7 million, $19.2 million and $12.1 million, respectively.

Legal

The Company is currently involved in litigation that has arisen in the ordinary course of business, but it does not believe that any pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.