Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities
 9 Months Ended
May 31, 2021
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities    We enter into various derivative instruments to manage our exposure to movements primarily associated with agricultural and energy commodity prices and, to a lesser degree, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. Except for certain interest rate swaps and certain pay-fixed, receive-variable, cash-settled swaps related to future crude oil purchases, which are accounted for as fair value hedges and cash flow hedges, respectively, our derivative instruments represent economic hedges of price risk for which hedge accounting under ASC Topic 815 is not applied. Rather, the derivative instruments are recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value with changes in fair value being recorded directly to earnings, primarily within cost of goods sold in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note 12, Fair Value Measurements, for additional information. The majority of our exchange traded agricultural commodity futures are settled daily through CHS Hedging, LLC, our wholly-owned futures commission merchant.
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The following tables present the gross fair values of derivative assets, derivative liabilities and margin deposits (cash collateral) recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, along with related amounts permitted to be offset in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Although we have certain netting arrangements for our exchange-traded futures and options contracts and certain over-the-counter ("OTC") contracts, we have elected to report our derivative instruments on a gross basis on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets under ASC Topic 210-20, Balance Sheet - Offsetting.
May 31, 2021
Amounts Not Offset on Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet But Eligible for Offsetting
Gross Amount RecognizedCash CollateralDerivative InstrumentsNet Amount
(Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets
Commodity derivatives$843,728 $— $8,226 $835,502 
Foreign exchange derivatives29,332 — 7,386 21,946 
Embedded derivative asset16,173 — — 16,173 
Total$889,233 $— $15,612 $873,621 
Derivative Liabilities
Commodity derivatives$585,658 $2,809 $8,226 $574,623 
Foreign exchange derivatives9,907 — 7,386 2,521 
Total$595,565 $2,809 $15,612 $577,144 
August 31, 2020
Amounts Not Offset on Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet But Eligible for Offsetting
Gross Amount RecognizedCash CollateralDerivative InstrumentsNet Amount
 (Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets
Commodity derivatives$327,493 $— $2,980 $324,513 
Foreign exchange derivatives11,809 — 9,385 2,424 
Embedded derivative asset18,998 — — 18,998 
Total$358,300 $— $12,365 $345,935 
Derivative Liabilities
Commodity derivatives$343,343 $956 $5,578 $336,809 
Foreign exchange derivatives69,466 — 9,385 60,081 
Total$412,809 $956 $14,963 $396,890 

    Derivative assets and liabilities with maturities of 12 months or less are recorded in other current assets and other current liabilities, respectively, on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Derivative assets and liabilities with maturities greater than 12 months are recorded in other assets and other liabilities, respectively, on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The amount of long-term derivative assets recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 31, 2021, and August 31, 2020, was $18.8 million and $21.2 million, respectively. The amount of long-term derivative liabilities recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of May 31, 2021, and August 31, 2020, was $6.7 million and $5.4 million, respectively.
    The majority of our derivative instruments have not been designated as hedging instruments. The following table sets forth the pretax gains (losses) on derivatives not accounted for as hedging instruments that have been included in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2021 and 2020.
Three Months Ended May 31,Nine Months Ended May 31,
Location of Gain (Loss)2021202020212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Commodity derivativesCost of goods sold$(552,985)$85,259 $(945,631)$228,201 
Foreign exchange derivativesCost of goods sold35,567 (129,699)27,327 (177,008)
Foreign exchange derivativesMarketing, general and administrative expenses838 (2,553)1,011 (615)
Embedded derivativeOther income308 355 2,174 2,272 
Total
$(516,272)$(46,638)$(915,119)$52,850 

Commodity Contracts
    
    As of May 31, 2021, and August 31, 2020, we had outstanding commodity futures and options contracts that were used as economic hedges, as well as fixed-price forward contracts related to physical purchases and sales of commodities. The table below presents the notional volumes for all outstanding commodity contracts.
 May 31, 2021August 31, 2020
LongShortLongShort
 (Units in thousands)
Grain and oilseed (bushels)808,152 1,008,593 664,673892,303
Energy products (barrels)10,346 9,211 10,0286,570
Processed grain and oilseed (tons)579 2,468 6573,304
Crop nutrients (tons)36 32 74127
Ocean freight (metric tons)225 — 1,14095

Foreign Exchange Contracts

    We conduct a substantial portion of our business in U.S. dollars, but we are exposed to risks relating to foreign currency fluctuations primarily due to global grain marketing transactions in South America, the Asia Pacific region and Europe, and purchases of products from Canada. We use foreign currency derivative instruments to mitigate the impact of exchange rate fluctuations. Although we have some risk exposure related to foreign currency transactions, a larger impact with exchange rate fluctuations is the ability of foreign buyers to purchase U.S. agricultural products and the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural products compared to the same products offered by alternative sources of world supply. The notional amounts of our foreign exchange derivative contracts were $1.4 billion and $1.2 billion as of May 31, 2021, and August 31, 2020, respectively.

Embedded Derivative Asset

    Under the terms of our strategic investment in CF Nitrogen, if the CF Industries credit rating is reduced below certain levels by two of three specified credit ratings agencies, we are entitled to receive a nonrefundable annual payment of $5.0 million from CF Industries. These payments will continue on an annual basis until the date that the CF Industries credit rating is upgraded to or above certain levels by two of the three specified credit ratings agencies or February 1, 2026, whichever is earlier.

    Since the CF Industries credit rating was reduced below the specified levels during fiscal 2017, we have received an annual payment of $5.0 million from CF Industries. Gains totaling $2.2 million and $2.3 million were recognized in other income in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the nine months ended May 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The fair value of the embedded derivative asset recorded on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of May 31, 2021, was equal to $16.2 million. The current and long-term portions of the embedded derivative asset are included in other current assets and other assets on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively. See Note 12, Fair Value Measurements, for additional information regarding valuation of the embedded derivative asset.
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedging Strategies

    Certain pay-fixed, receive-variable, cash-settled swaps are designated as cash flow hedges of future crude oil purchases in our Energy segment. We also designate certain pay-variable, receive-fixed, cash-settled swaps as cash flow hedges of future refined product sales. These hedging instruments and the related hedged items are exposed to significant market price risk and potential volatility. As part of our risk management strategy, we look to hedge a portion of our expected future crude oil needs and the resulting refined product output based on prevailing futures prices, management's expectations about future commodity price changes and our risk appetite. We may also elect to dedesignate certain derivative instruments previously designated as cash flow hedges as part of our risk management strategy. Amounts recorded in other comprehensive income for these dedesignated derivative instruments remain in other comprehensive income and are recognized in earnings in the period in which the underlying transactions affect earnings. As of May 31, 2021, and August 31, 2020, the aggregate notional amount of cash flow hedges was 5.1 million and 9.7 million barrels, respectively.

    The following table presents the fair value of our commodity derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges and the line items on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in which they are recorded.
Derivative AssetsDerivative Liabilities
Balance Sheet LocationMay 31,
2021		August 31,
2020		Balance Sheet LocationMay 31,
2021		August 31,
2020
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Other current assets$11,243 $34,052 Other current liabilities$6,761 $8,821 

    The following table presents the pretax gains (losses) recorded in other comprehensive income relating to cash flow hedges for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2021 and 2020:
Three Months Ended May 31,Nine Months Ended May 31,
2021202020212020
 (Dollars in thousands)
Commodity derivatives$(7,590)$11,081 $(7,700)$(4,153)

    The following table presents the pretax gains relating to our existing cash flow hedges that were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2021 and 2020:
Three Months Ended May 31,Nine Months Ended May 31,
Location of Gain2021202020212020
  (Dollars in thousands)
Commodity derivativesCost of goods sold$2,329 $884 $19,084 $7,862