Acquisitions	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisition	Acquisitions During the year ended August 31, 2014, we paid $281.5 million in consideration to acquire various businesses that related primarily to our Ag segment. These acquisitions were not material, individually or in aggregate, to our consolidated financial statements. Included among these transactions was the acquisition of Illinois River Energy LLC, which operates an ethanol plant that will expand our grain origination opportunities and increase renewable fuels capacity. Additionally, we acquired the fertilizer business and assets of Terral RiverService, a transportation service company specializing in the bulk storage and handling of dry and liquid materials along the Mississippi River system, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and inland waterways of Louisiana and southern Arkansas. See Note 6, Other Assets for information about the amounts of goodwill and intangible assets recorded as a result of these transactions. NCRA On November 29, 2011, our Board of Directors approved a stock transfer agreement, dated as of November 29, 2011, between us and GROWMARK, Inc. (Growmark), and a stock transfer agreement, dated as of November 29, 2011, between us and MFA Oil Company (MFA). Pursuant to these agreements, we began to acquire from Growmark and MFA shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock of NCRA representing approximately 25.571% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock. Prior to the first closing, we owned the remaining approximately 74.429% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock as of August 31, 2012 and accordingly, upon completion of the acquisitions contemplated by these agreements, NCRA will be a wholly-owned subsidiary. As of August 31, 2014, our ownership was 84.0% and with the closing in September 2014, our ownership increased to 88.9%. Pursuant to the agreement with Growmark, we will acquire stock representing approximately 18.616% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock in four separate closings held or to be held on September 1, 2012, September 1, 2013, September 1, 2014 and September 1, 2015, for an aggregate base purchase price of $255.5 million (approximately $48.0 million of which has been paid at each of the first three closings, and $111.4 million of which will be paid at the final closing). In addition, Growmark is entitled to receive up to two contingent purchase price payments following each individual closing, calculated as set forth in the agreement with Growmark, if the average crack spread margin referred to therein over the year ending on August 31 of the calendar year in which the contingent payment date falls exceeds a specified target. Pursuant to the agreement with MFA, we will acquire stock representing approximately 6.955% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock in four separate closings held or to be held on September 1, 2012, September 1, 2013, September 1, 2014 and September 1, 2015, for an aggregate base purchase price of $95.5 million (approximately $18.0 million of which has been paid at each of the first three closings, and $41.6 million of which will be paid at the final closing). In addition, MFA is entitled to receive up to two contingent purchase price payments following each individual closing, calculated as set forth in the agreement with MFA, if the average crack spread margin referred to therein over the year ending on August 31 of the calendar year in which the contingent payment date falls exceeds a specified target. As all conditions associated with the purchase have been met, we have accounted for this transaction as a forward purchase contract which required recognition in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 in accordance with ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity. As a result, we are no longer including the noncontrolling interests related to NCRA as a component of equity. Instead, we recorded the present value of the future payments to be made to Growmark and MFA as a liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of November 30, 2011. The liability as of August 31, 2014 and 2013 was $214.7 million and $275.4 million, including interest accretion of $5.3 million and $6.7 million, respectively. Noncontrolling interests in the amount of $337.1 million was reclassified and an additional adjustment to equity in the amount of $96.7 million was recorded as a result of the transaction in fiscal 2012. The equity adjustment included the initial fair value of the crack spread contingent payments of $105.2 million. The fair value of the liability associated with the crack spread contingent payments was calculated utilizing an average price option model, an adjusted Black-Scholes pricing model commonly used in the energy industry to value options. As of August 31, 2014 and 2013, the amounts recognized as liabilities for these crack spread payments are $114.9 million and $150.6 million, respectively, and are included on our Consolidated Balance Sheets in other liabilities with a gain of $19.2 million and a loss of $23.1 million included in cost of goods sold in our Consolidated Statements of Operations during the years ended August 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The first crack spread contingent payment in the amount of $16.5 million was made in October 2013. Based on the average crack spread margin during fiscal 2014, no payment was made in October 2014. The portion of NCRA earnings attributable to Growmark and MFA for the first quarter of fiscal 2012, prior to the transaction date, were included in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests. Beginning in the second quarter of fiscal 2012, in accordance with ASC Topic 480, earnings are no longer attributable to the noncontrolling interests, and patronage earned by Growmark and MFA is included as interest, net in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. During the years ended August 31, 2014 and 2013, $65.5 million and $142.4 million, respectively, was included in interest for the patronage earned by Growmark and MFA. Solbar On February 9, 2012, we completed the acquisition of Solbar Industries Ltd., an Israeli company (Solbar), included in our Ag segment, for total cash consideration of $128.7 million, net of cash acquired of $6.6 million. Solbar provides soy protein ingredients to manufacturers in the meat, vegetarian, beverage, bars and crisps, confectionary, bakery, and pharmaceutical manufacturing markets. Solbar and its subsidiaries operate primarily in the countries of Israel, China and the U.S. During fiscal 2014, due to the prolonged decrease in demand for certain products produced in Solbar's facilities in Israel, partially as a result of the impacts of the recall described in Note 14, Contingencies, we evaluated our long-lived assets in Israel for impairment under ASC Topic 360-10. Based on our cash flow projections, as well as our best estimate of the residual value of the assets, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $74.5 million, which amounts to substantially all of the book value of the long-lived assets in this asset group. This impairment charge is recorded in cost of goods sold in our Ag segment.

Acquisitions

During the year ended August 31, 2014, we paid $281.5 million in consideration to acquire various businesses that related primarily to our Ag segment. These acquisitions were not material, individually or in aggregate, to our consolidated financial statements. Included among these transactions was the acquisition of Illinois River Energy LLC, which operates an ethanol plant that will expand our grain origination opportunities and increase renewable fuels capacity. Additionally, we acquired the fertilizer business and assets of Terral RiverService, a transportation service company specializing in the bulk storage and handling of dry and liquid materials along the Mississippi River system, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and inland waterways of Louisiana and southern Arkansas. See Note 6, Other Assets for information about the amounts of goodwill and intangible assets recorded as a result of these transactions.

NCRA

On November 29, 2011, our Board of Directors approved a stock transfer agreement, dated as of November 29, 2011, between us and GROWMARK, Inc. (Growmark), and a stock transfer agreement, dated as of November 29, 2011, between us and MFA Oil Company (MFA). Pursuant to these agreements, we began to acquire from Growmark and MFA shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock of NCRA representing approximately 25.571% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock. Prior to the first closing, we owned the remaining approximately 74.429% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock as of August 31, 2012 and accordingly, upon completion of the acquisitions contemplated by these agreements, NCRA will be a wholly-owned subsidiary. As of August 31, 2014, our ownership was 84.0% and with the closing in September 2014, our ownership increased to 88.9%.

Pursuant to the agreement with Growmark, we will acquire stock representing approximately 18.616% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock in four separate closings held or to be held on September 1, 2012, September 1, 2013, September 1, 2014 and September 1, 2015, for an aggregate base purchase price of $255.5 million (approximately $48.0 million of which has been paid at each of the first three closings, and $111.4 million of which will be paid at the final closing). In addition, Growmark is entitled to receive up to two contingent purchase price payments following each individual closing, calculated as set forth in the agreement with Growmark, if the average crack spread margin referred to therein over the year ending on August 31 of the calendar year in which the contingent payment date falls exceeds a specified target.

Pursuant to the agreement with MFA, we will acquire stock representing approximately 6.955% of NCRA’s outstanding capital stock in four separate closings held or to be held on September 1, 2012, September 1, 2013, September 1, 2014 and September 1, 2015, for an aggregate base purchase price of $95.5 million (approximately $18.0 million of which has been paid at each of the first three closings, and $41.6 million of which will be paid at the final closing). In addition, MFA is entitled to receive up to two contingent purchase price payments following each individual closing, calculated as set forth in the agreement with MFA, if the average crack spread margin referred to therein over the year ending on August 31 of the calendar year in which the contingent payment date falls exceeds a specified target.

As all conditions associated with the purchase have been met, we have accounted for this transaction as a forward purchase contract which required recognition in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 in accordance with ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity. As a result, we are no longer including the noncontrolling interests related to NCRA as a component of equity. Instead, we recorded the present value of the future payments to be made to Growmark and MFA as a liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of November 30, 2011. The liability as of August 31, 2014 and 2013 was $214.7 million and $275.4 million, including interest accretion of $5.3 million and $6.7 million, respectively. Noncontrolling interests in the amount of $337.1 million was reclassified and an additional adjustment to equity in the amount of $96.7 million was recorded as a result of the transaction in fiscal 2012. The equity adjustment included the initial fair value of the crack spread contingent payments of $105.2 million. The fair value of the liability associated with the crack spread contingent payments was calculated utilizing an average price option model, an adjusted Black-Scholes pricing model commonly used in the energy industry to value options. As of August 31, 2014 and 2013, the amounts recognized as liabilities for these crack spread payments are $114.9 million and $150.6 million, respectively, and are included on our Consolidated Balance Sheets in other liabilities with a gain of $19.2 million and a loss of $23.1 million included in cost of goods sold in our Consolidated Statements of Operations during the years ended August 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The first crack spread contingent payment in the amount of $16.5 million was made in October 2013. Based on the average crack spread margin during fiscal 2014, no payment was made in October 2014. The portion of NCRA earnings attributable to Growmark and MFA for the first quarter of fiscal 2012, prior to the transaction date, were included in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests. Beginning in the second quarter of fiscal 2012, in accordance with ASC Topic 480, earnings are no longer attributable to the noncontrolling interests, and patronage earned by Growmark and MFA is included as interest, net in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. During the years ended August 31, 2014 and 2013, $65.5 million and $142.4 million, respectively, was included in interest for the patronage earned by Growmark and MFA.

Solbar

On February 9, 2012, we completed the acquisition of Solbar Industries Ltd., an Israeli company (Solbar), included in our Ag segment, for total cash consideration of $128.7 million, net of cash acquired of $6.6 million. Solbar provides soy protein ingredients to manufacturers in the meat, vegetarian, beverage, bars and crisps, confectionary, bakery, and pharmaceutical manufacturing markets. Solbar and its subsidiaries operate primarily in the countries of Israel, China and the U.S.

During fiscal 2014, due to the prolonged decrease in demand for certain products produced in Solbar's facilities in Israel, partially as a result of the impacts of the recall described in Note 14, Contingencies, we evaluated our long-lived assets in Israel for impairment under ASC Topic 360-10. Based on our cash flow projections, as well as our best estimate of the residual value of the assets, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $74.5 million, which amounts to substantially all of the book value of the long-lived assets in this asset group. This impairment charge is recorded in cost of goods sold in our Ag segment.