Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Narrative (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Available-for-sale and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	$ 15,627	$ 23,521
Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities [Member] \| Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions In Loss Position Greater than Twelve Months	13
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	3,200
USDA Guaranteed Securities [Member] \| USDA Guarantee [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Trading Securities Amortized Cost	64,175	104,914
Trading Securities	$ 62,319	$ 104,188
Trading Securities, Weighted-Average Yield	5.64%	5.77%

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Trading Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term (thus held for only a short period of time) or for which an entity has elected the fair value option. Trading generally reflects active and frequent buying and selling, and trading securities are generally used with the objective of generating profits on short-term differences in price, but this category of investments may also include items which are not intended to be sold in the near term or for which the fair value option has been elected.

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