SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	3 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	1.SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation The accompanying condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted as permitted by such rules and regulations. These condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended October 31, 2015, contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring accruals that we consider necessary to present fairly the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other quarter or for the fiscal year. Nature of Business The Company owns and operates an ethanol plan near the Heron Lake, Minnesota with a permitted capacity of approximately 72.3 million gallons per year of undenatured ethanol on a twelve month rolling sum basis. In addition, the Company produces and sells distillers’ grains with solubles and corn oil as co-products of ethanol production. Additionally, the Company, through a majority owned subsidiary, operates a natural gas pipeline that provides natural gas to the Company's ethanol production facility and other customers. Principles of Consolidation The condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements as of January 31, 2016 include the accounts of Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary, HLBE Pipeline Company, LLC, collectively the “Company”. HLBE Pipeline Company, LLC owns 73% of Agrinatural Gas, LLC (“Agrinatural”). Given the Company’s control over the operations of Agrinatural and its majority voting interest, the Company consolidates the unaudited financial statements of Agrinatural with its consolidated unaudited financial statements, with the equity and earnings (loss) attributed to the remaining 27% noncontrolling interest identified separately in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations. All significant intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. Accounting Estimates Management uses estimates and assumptions in preparing these condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Those estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported revenues and expenses. The Company uses estimates and assumptions in accounting for significant matters including, among others, the economic lives of property and equipment, the analysis of impairment of long-lived assets and valuation of commodity derivative instruments, inventory, and inventory purchase and sales commitments. The Company periodically reviews estimates and assumptions, and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period in which the revision is made. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Noncontrolling Interest Amounts recorded as noncontrolling interest on the balance sheets relate to the net investment by an unrelated party in Agrinatural. Income and losses are allocated to the members of Agrinatural based on their respective percentage of membership units held. Agrinatural will provide natural gas to the plant with a specified price per MMBTU for an initial term of 5 years expiring October 31, 2016, with two automatic renewal options for five year periods. On July 1, 2015, the Company entered into an amendment of its natural gas transportation agreement dated May 13, 2011 with Agrinatural, in which the Company agreed on an early exercise of one of the two automatic five-year term renewals thereby extending the term of the transportation agreement to October 31, 2021. Revenue Recognition The Company generally sells ethanol and related products pursuant to marketing agreements. Revenues from the production of ethanol and the related products are recorded when the customer has taken title and assumed the risks and rewards of ownership, prices are fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. Title is generally assumed by the buyer at the Company’s shipping point. In accordance with the Company's agreements for the marketing and sale of ethanol and related products, marketing fees and commissions due to the marketers are deducted from the gross sales price as earned. These fees and commissions are recorded net of revenues as they do not provide an identifiable benefit that is sufficiently separable from the sale of ethanol and related products. Shipping costs incurred by the Company in the sale of ethanol are not specifically identifiable and as a result, are recorded based on the net selling price reported to the Company from the marketer. Shipping costs incurred by the Company in the sale of ethanol related products are included in cost of goods sold. Inventory Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-11 issued in July 2015. Cost for all inventories is determined using the first in first out method (FIFO). Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. Inventory consists of raw materials, work in process, finished goods, and spare parts. Corn is the primary raw material along with other raw materials. Finished goods consist of ethanol, distillers' grains, and corn oil. Correction Of An Immaterial Error The Company revised the condensed consolidated unaudited statement of cash flows for the three months ended January 31, 2015, to correct for a non-cash acquisition of property and equipment resulting in an increase in cash provided by operating activities of approximately $3,359,225 and a corresponding decrease in net cash provided by investing activities.

1.SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted as permitted by such rules and regulations. These condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended October 31, 2015, contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K.

In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring accruals that we consider necessary to present fairly the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other quarter or for the fiscal year.

Nature of Business

The Company owns and operates an ethanol plan near the Heron Lake, Minnesota with a permitted capacity of approximately 72.3 million gallons per year of undenatured ethanol on a twelve month rolling sum basis. In addition, the Company produces and sells distillers’ grains with solubles and corn oil as co-products of ethanol production. Additionally, the Company, through a majority owned subsidiary, operates a natural gas pipeline that provides natural gas to the Company's ethanol production facility and other customers.

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements as of January 31, 2016 include the accounts of Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary, HLBE Pipeline Company, LLC, collectively the “Company”. HLBE Pipeline Company, LLC owns 73% of Agrinatural Gas, LLC (“Agrinatural”). Given the Company’s control over the operations of Agrinatural and its majority voting interest, the Company consolidates the unaudited financial statements of Agrinatural with its consolidated unaudited financial statements, with the equity and earnings (loss) attributed to the remaining 27% noncontrolling interest identified separately in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations. All significant intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Accounting Estimates

Management uses estimates and assumptions in preparing these condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Those estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported revenues and expenses. The Company uses estimates and assumptions in accounting for significant matters including, among others, the economic lives of property and equipment, the analysis of impairment of long-lived assets and valuation of commodity derivative instruments, inventory, and inventory purchase and sales commitments. The Company periodically reviews estimates and assumptions, and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period in which the revision is made. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Noncontrolling Interest

Amounts recorded as noncontrolling interest on the balance sheets relate to the net investment by an unrelated party in Agrinatural. Income and losses are allocated to the members of Agrinatural based on their respective percentage of membership units held. Agrinatural will provide natural gas to the plant with a specified price per MMBTU for an initial term of 5 years expiring October 31, 2016, with two automatic renewal options for five year periods. On July 1, 2015, the Company entered into an amendment of its natural gas transportation agreement dated May 13, 2011 with Agrinatural, in which the Company agreed on an early exercise of one of the two automatic five-year term renewals thereby extending the term of the transportation agreement to October 31, 2021.

Revenue Recognition

The Company generally sells ethanol and related products pursuant to marketing agreements. Revenues from the production of ethanol and the related products are recorded when the customer has taken title and assumed the risks and rewards of ownership, prices are fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. Title is generally assumed by the buyer at the Company’s shipping point.

In accordance with the Company's agreements for the marketing and sale of ethanol and related products, marketing fees and commissions due to the marketers are deducted from the gross sales price as earned. These fees and commissions are recorded net of revenues as they do not provide an identifiable benefit that is sufficiently separable from the sale of ethanol and related products. Shipping costs incurred by the Company in the sale of ethanol are not specifically identifiable and as a result, are recorded based on the net selling price reported to the Company from the marketer. Shipping costs incurred by the Company in the sale of ethanol related products are included in cost of goods sold.

Inventory

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-11 issued in July 2015. Cost for all inventories is determined using the first in first out method (FIFO). Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. Inventory consists of raw materials, work in process, finished goods, and spare parts. Corn is the primary raw material along with other raw materials. Finished goods consist of ethanol, distillers' grains, and corn oil.

Correction Of An Immaterial Error

The Company revised the condensed consolidated unaudited statement of cash flows for the three months ended January 31, 2015, to correct for a non-cash acquisition of property and equipment resulting in an increase in cash provided by operating activities of approximately $3,359,225 and a corresponding decrease in net cash provided by investing activities.