| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES The unaudited financial statements contained herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America although the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included in the accompanying financial statements. All adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for a full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 , contained in the annual report on Form 10-K for 2018. Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of its wholly owned subsidiary, Dakota Ethanol. All significant inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Revenue Recognition The Company has adopted the guidance of ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). Topic 606 requires the Company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new guidance requires the Company to apply the following steps: (1) identify the contract with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation. The Company generally recognizes revenue at a point in time. The majority of the Company’s contracts with customers have one performance obligation and a contract duration of one year or less. The following is a description of principal activities from which we generate revenue. Revenues from contracts with customers are recognized when control of the promised goods or services are transferred to our customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that we expect to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Generally, ethanol and related products are shipped FOB shipping point and the control of the goods transfers to customers when the goods are loaded into rail cars or trucks. Consideration is based on predetermined contractual prices or on current market prices. • sales of ethanol • sales of distillers grains • sales of distillers corn oil Disaggregation of revenue: All revenue recognized in the income statement is considered to be revenue from contracts with customers. The following table depicts the disaggregation of revenue according to product line: Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Revenues ethanol $ 16,335,825 $ 15,551,565 Revenues distillers grains 4,484,350 3,694,336 Revenues distillers corn oil 793,123 558,371 $ 21,613,298 $ 19,804,272 Contract assets and contract liabilities: The Company has no significant contract assets or contract liabilities from contracts with customers. The Company receives payments from customers based upon contractual billing schedules; accounts receivable are recorded when the right to consideration becomes unconditional. Contract liabilities include payments received in advance of performance under the contract, and are realized with the associated revenue recognized under the contract. Shipping costs Shipping costs incurred by the Company in the sale of ethanol, dried distillers grains and corn oil are not specifically identifiable and as a result, revenue from the sale of those products is recorded based on the net selling price reported to the Company from the marketer. When the Company performs shipping and handling activities after the transfer of control to the customers (e.g., when control transfers prior to delivery), they are considered as fulfillment activities, and accordingly, the costs are accrued for when the related revenue is recognized. Operating Segment The Company uses the "management approach" for reporting information about segments in annual and interim financial statements. The management approach is based on the way the chief operating decision-maker organizes segments within a company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. Reportable segments are based on products and services, geography, legal structure, management structure and any other manner in which management disaggregates a company. Based on the "management approach" model, the Company has determined that its business is comprised of a single operating segment. Cost of Revenues The primary components of cost of revenues from the production of ethanol and related co-product are corn expense, energy expense (natural gas and electricity), raw materials expense (chemicals and denaturant), and direct labor costs. Shipping costs on modified and wet distillers grains are included in cost of revenues. Inventory Valuation Inventories are generally valued using methods which approximate the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or net realizable value. In the valuation of inventories and purchase commitments, net realizable value is based on estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. Receivables and Credit Policies Accounts receivable are uncollateralized customer obligations due under normal trade terms requiring payment within fifteen days from the invoice date. Unpaid accounts receivable with invoice dates over thirty days old bear interest at 1.5% per month. Accounts receivable are stated at the amount billed to the customer. Payments of accounts receivable are allocated to the specific invoices identified on the customer’s remittance advice or, if unspecified, are applied to the earliest unpaid invoices. The carrying amount of trade receivables is reduced by a valuation allowance that reflects management’s best estimate of the amounts that will not be collected. Management regularly reviews trade receivable balances and based on an assessment of current creditworthiness, estimates the portion, if any, of the balance that will not be collected. The valuation allowance was $2,131 as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 respectively. Investment in commodities contracts, derivative instruments and hedging activities The Company is exposed to certain risks related to our ongoing business operations. The primary risks that the Company manages by using forward or derivative instruments are price risks on anticipated purchases of corn and natural gas and the sale of ethanol, distillers grains and distillers corn oil. The Company is subject to market risk with respect to the price and availability of corn, the principal raw material the Company uses to produce ethanol and ethanol by-products. In general, rising corn prices result in lower profit margins and, therefore, represent unfavorable market conditions. This is especially true when market conditions do not allow us to pass along increased corn costs to our customers. The availability and price of corn is subject to wide fluctuations due to unpredictable factors such as weather conditions, farmer planting decisions, governmental policies with respect to agriculture and international trade and global demand and supply. Certain contracts that literally meet the definition of a derivative may be exempted from derivative accounting as normal purchases or normal sales. Normal purchases and normal sales are contracts that provide for the purchase or sale of something other than a financial instrument or derivative instrument that will be delivered in quantities expected to be used or sold over a reasonable period in the normal course of business. Contracts that meet the requirements of normal purchases or sales are documented as normal and exempted from the accounting and reporting requirements of derivative accounting. The Company does not apply the normal purchase and sales exemption for forward corn purchase contracts. As of March 31, 2019 , the Company is committed to purchasing approximately 1.8 million bushels of corn on a forward contract basis with an average price of $3.46 per bushel. The total corn purchase contracts represent 10% of the annual projected plant corn usage. The Company enters into firm-price purchase commitments with natural gas suppliers under which the Company agrees to buy natural gas at a price set in advance of the actual delivery. Under these arrangements, the Company assumes the risk of a price decrease in the market price of natural gas between the time the price is fixed and the time the natural gas is delivered. At March 31, 2019 , the Company is committed to purchasing approximately 451,000 MMBtu’s of natural gas with an average price of $2.49 per MMBtu. The Company accounts for these transactions as normal purchases, and accordingly, does not mark these transactions to market. The natural gas purchase contracts represent 39% of the annual plant requirements. The Company enters into firm-price sales commitments with distillers grains customers under which the Company agrees to sell distillers grains at a price set in advance of the actual delivery. Under these arrangements, the Company assumes the risk of a price increase in the market price of distillers grain between the time the price is fixed and the time the distillers grains are delivered. At March 31, 2019 , the Company is committed to selling approximately 20,000 dry equivalent tons of distillers grains with an average price of $128 per ton. The Company accounts for these transactions as normal sales, and accordingly, does not mark these transactions to market. The distillers grains sales represent approximately 14% of the projected annual plant production. The Company enters into firm-price sales commitments with distillers corn oil customers under which the Company agrees to sell distillers corn oil at a price set in advance of the actual delivery. Under these arrangements, the Company assumes the risk of a price increase in the market price of distillers corn oil between the time the price is fixed and the time the distillers corn oil is delivered. At March 31, 2019 , the Company is committed to selling approximately 2.3 million pounds of distillers corn oil with an average price of $0.25 per pound. The Company accounts for these transactions as normal sales, and accordingly, does not mark these transactions to market. The distillers corn oil sales represent approximately 20% of the projected annual plant production. The Company does not have any firm-priced sales commitments for ethanol as of March 31, 2019 . The Company enters into short-term forward, option and futures contracts for ethanol, corn and natural gas as a means of managing exposure to changes in commodity and energy prices. All of the Company's derivatives are designated as non-hedge derivatives, and accordingly are recorded at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. Although the contracts are considered economic hedges of specified risks, they are not designated as and accounted for as hedging instruments. As part of our trading activity, the Company uses futures and option contracts offered through regulated commodity exchanges to reduce risk of loss in the market value of inventories and purchase commitments. To reduce that risk, the Company generally takes positions using forward and futures contracts and options. Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 were as follows: Balance Sheet Classification March 31, 2019 December 31, 2018* Forward contracts in gain position $ 7,153 $ 676 Futures contracts in gain position 69,475 175,038 Futures contracts in loss position (10,163 ) — Total forward and futures contracts 66,465 175,714 Cash held by broker 654,812 378,291 Current Assets $ 721,277 $ 554,005 Forward contracts in loss position (Current Liabilities) $ (254,337 ) $ (368,475 ) *Derived from audited financial statements Futures contracts and cash held by broker are all with one party and the right of offset exists. Therefore, on the balance sheet, these items are netted in one balance regardless of position. Forward contracts are with multiple parties and the right of offset does not exist. Therefore, these contracts are reported at the gross amounts on the balance sheet. Realized and unrealized gains and losses related to derivative contracts related to corn and natural gas purchases are included as a component of cost of revenues and futures and options contracts related to ethanol sales are included as a component of revenues in the accompanying financial statements. Statement of Income Three Months Ended March 31, Classification 2019 2018 Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) related to purchase contracts: Futures contracts Cost of Revenues $ 160,886 $ (783,845 ) Forward contracts Cost of Revenues (119,374 ) 717,971 Investments The Company has investment interests in five companies in related industries. All of these interests are at ownership shares less than 20%. These investments are all flow-through entities. Per ASC 323-30-S99-1, they are being accounted for by the equity method of accounting under which the Company’s share of net income is recognized as income in the Company’s statements of operations and added to the investment account. Distributions or dividends received from the investments are treated as a reduction of the investment account. The Company consistently follows the practice of recognizing the net income based on the most recent reliable data. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include the fair value of derivative financial instruments, lower of cost or net realizable value accounting for inventory and forward purchase contracts and goodwill impairment evaluation. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)" (ASU 2016-02). ASU 2016-02 requires the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for all leases greater than one year in duration and classified as operating leases under previous GAAP. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and for interim periods within that fiscal year. The standard has not had a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, "Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350)" (ASU 2017-04). ASU 2107-04 simplifies the test for goodwill impairment. It eliminates the two-step process of assessing goodwill impairment and replaces it with one step which compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount. An impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value up to the amount of the goodwill attributed to the reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and for interim periods within that fiscal year. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, "Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement" (ASU 2018-13). ASU 2108-13 improves the effectiveness of the fair value disclosures in the financial statements. It adds, removes and modifies various disclosure requirements relating to the fair value hierarchy. ASU 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and for interim periods within that fiscal year. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. |
