The Company uses hedging programs to manage price risk associated with commodity purchases and interest rates. These programs utilize futures, swaps, and options contracts to manage the Company’s exposure to price fluctuations in the markets. The Company has determined its designated hedging programs to be highly effective in offsetting the changes in fair value or cash flows generated by the items hedged. Effectiveness testing is performed on a quarterly basis to ascertain a high level of effectiveness for cash flow and fair value hedging programs.

Cash Flow Commodity Hedges: The Company designates grain and lean hog futures, swaps, and options used to offset price fluctuations in the Company’s future direct grain and hog purchases as cash flow hedges. Effective gains or losses related to these cash flow hedges are reported in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (AOCL) and reclassified into earnings, through Cost of Products Sold, in the period or periods in which the hedged transactions affect earnings. The Company typically does not hedge its grain exposure beyond the next two upcoming fiscal years and its hog exposure beyond the next fiscal year. Due to extreme market volatility, the Company took strategic hedges to cover a significant portion of its expected grain purchases through fiscal 2022.

Fair Value Commodity Hedges: The Company designates the futures it uses to minimize the price risk assumed when fixed forward priced contracts are offered to the Company’s commodity suppliers as fair value hedges. The intent of the program is to make the forward priced commodities cost nearly the same as cash market purchases at the date of delivery. Changes in the fair value of the futures contracts, along with the gain or loss on the hedged purchase commitment, are marked-to-market through earnings and recorded on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as a Current Asset and Liability, respectively. Effective gains or losses related to these fair value hedges are recognized through Cost of Products Sold in the period or periods in which the hedged transactions affect earnings.

Cash Flow Interest Rate Hedges: In the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company designated two separate interest rate locks as cash flow hedges to manage interest rate risk associated with the anticipated debt transactions required to fund the acquisition of the Planters® snack nuts business. The total notional amount of the Company's locks was $1,250 million. In the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the associated unsecured senior notes were issued with a tenor of 7 and 30 years and both locks were lifted (See Note L - Long-term Debt and Other Borrowing Arrangements). Mark-to-market gains and losses on these instruments were deferred as a component of AOCL. The resulting gain in AOCL is reclassified to Interest Expense in the period when the hedged transactions affect earnings.

Other Derivatives: The Company holds certain futures contract positions as part of a merchandising program and to manage the Company’s exposure to fluctuations in commodity markets. The Company has not applied hedge accounting to these positions. Activity related to derivatives not designated as hedges is immaterial to the consolidated financial statements.

Location on Consolidated

Gross Fair Value(1)

(in thousands)

Statements of Financial Position

October 31, 2021

October 25, 2020

Commodity Contracts

Other Current Assets

21,798

(1,330)

(1) Amounts represent the gross fair value of commodity derivative assets and liabilities. The Company nets the derivative assets and liabilities for each of its commodity hedging programs, including cash collateral, when a master netting arrangement exists between the Company and the counterparty to the derivative contract. The amount or timing of cash collateral balances may impact the classification of the commodity derivative in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. The gross asset position as of October 31, 2021 is offset by the obligation to return cash collateral of $10.8 million contained within the master netting arrangement. The gross liability position as of October 25, 2020, is offset by the right to reclaim cash collateral of $12.3 million. See Note I - Fair Value Measurements for a discussion of these net amounts as reported in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.


Location on Consolidated Statements of Financial Position	Carrying Amount(1) of the Hedged Assets/(Liabilities)
(in thousands)	October 31, 2021		October 25, 2020
Accounts Payable	$	3,432	$	4,269

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Impact: As of October 31, 2021, the Company included in AOCL hedging gains (before tax) of $32.0 million on commodity contracts and $14.5 million related to interest rate settled positions. The Company expects to recognize the majority of the gains on commodity contracts over the next twelve months. Gains on interest rate contracts offset the hedged interest payments over the tenor of the debt instruments.


	Gain/(Loss) Recognized in AOCL(1)				Location on Consolidated Statements of Operations	Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Earnings(1)
(in thousands)	Fiscal Year Ended					Fiscal Year Ended
Cash Flow Hedges:	October 31, 2021		October 25, 2020			October 31, 2021		October 25, 2020
Commodity Contracts	$	59,143	$	(38,213)	Cost of Products Sold	$	31,044	$	(37,834)
Excluded Component(2)	1,078		—			—		—
Interest Rate Contracts	14,864		—		Interest Expense	399		—

(2) Represents the time value of corn options excluded from the assessment of effectiveness for which the difference between changes in fair value and periodic amortization is recorded in AOCL.

Consolidated Statements of Operations Impact: The effect on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for gains or losses (before tax) related to the Company's derivative instruments for the fiscal years ended are:


	Consolidated Statement of Operations Impact
(in thousands)	October 31, 2021		October 25, 2020		October 27, 2019
Net Earnings Attributable to Hormel Foods Corporation	$	908,839	$	908,082	$	978,806

Cash Flow Hedges - Commodity Contracts
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCL	$	31,787	$	(37,834)	$	(1,701)
Amortization of Excluded Component from Options	(3,033)		—		(2,489)
Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCL Due to Discontinuance of Cash Flow Hedges(1)	(743)		—		—

Fair Value Hedges - Commodity Contracts
Gain (Loss) on Commodity Futures(2)	(28,078)		13,192		5,197

Total Gain (Loss) on Commodity Contracts(3)	$	(67)	$	(24,642)	$	1,007

Cash Flow Hedges - Interest Rate Locks
Amortization of Gain on Interest Rate Locks	$	399	$	—	$	—

Total Gain on Interest Rate Locks(4)	$	399	$	—	$	—

Total Gain (Loss) Recognized in Earnings	$	332	$	(24,642)	$	1,007

(1) During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company discontinued hedge accounting on 2.8 million bushels of corn usage that was deemed no longer probable to occur. A loss of $0.7 million related to the discontinued hedges was reclassified directly into earnings.

(2) Amounts represent gains or losses on commodity contracts designated as fair value hedges that were closed during the year, which were offset by a corresponding gain or loss on the underlying hedged purchase commitment. Additional gains or losses related to changes in the fair value of open commodity contracts, along with the offsetting gain or loss on the hedged purchase commitment, are also marked-to-market through earnings with no impact on a net basis.