Fair Value Disclosures - Quantitative Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Financial derivatives, Liabilities	$ 59,664	$ 64,388
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	65,166	65,490
Trading, at fair value	923	928
Marketable Securities	66,089	66,418
Financial derivatives, Liabilities	161	235
Indicative Bid Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	64,963	65,285
Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Financial derivatives, Liabilities	161	235
Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Trading, at fair value	923	928
Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	10.00%	10.00%
Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	6.00%	6.00%
Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	203	205
Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities AgVantage [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	3,467,655	5,070,366
Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	21,608	21,234
Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities AgVantage [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	3,467,655	5,070,366
Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	21,608	21,234
USDA Guarantee [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	1,600,659	1,553,669
Trading, at fair value	51,102	58,344
Marketable Securities	1,651,761	1,612,013
USDA Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	$ 1,651,761	$ 1,612,013
Minimum [Member] | Indicative Bid Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Range of Offered Quotes	82.00%	82.00%
Minimum [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	0.60%	0.70%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	10.00%	10.00%
Minimum [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	12.20%	13.00%
Minimum [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.70%	1.80%
Minimum [Member] | Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities AgVantage [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	0.80%	0.90%
Minimum [Member] | Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	0.80%	0.90%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	8.00%	7.00%
Minimum [Member] | USDA Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.10%	1.20%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	0.00%	0.00%
Maximum [Member] | Indicative Bid Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Range of Offered Quotes	92.00%	92.00%
Maximum [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	2.40%	2.30%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	11.00%	11.00%
Maximum [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	20.90%	22.50%
Maximum [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.70%	1.80%
Maximum [Member] | Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities AgVantage [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	2.20%	3.60%
Maximum [Member] | Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	3.20%	3.20%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	15.00%	14.00%
Maximum [Member] | USDA Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	5.20%	5.30%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	15.00%	23.00%
Weighted Average [Member] | Indicative Bid Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Range of Offered Quotes	87.70%	88.10%
Weighted Average [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.20%	1.30%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	10.00%	10.00%
Weighted Average [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	16.60%	17.70%
Weighted Average [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.70%	1.80%
Weighted Average [Member] | Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities AgVantage [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.50%	1.80%
Weighted Average [Member] | Farmer Mac Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.80%	1.90%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	6.00%	11.00%
Weighted Average [Member] | USDA Guarantee [Member] | Discounted Cash Flows Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	3.20%	3.40%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	6.00%	5.00%