CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 55,571	$ 55,925
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net amortization of deferred gains, premiums, and discounts on loans, investments, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities	2,199	16,624
Amortization of debt premiums, discounts and issuance costs	9,601	7,384
Net change in fair value of trading securities, hedged assets, and financial derivatives	(8,705)	3,537
(Gains)/losses on sale of available-for-sale investment securities	(9)	238
Gains on sale of real estate owned	1	(165)
Total (release of)/provision for losses	257	(2,687)
Deferred income taxes	2,182	(16,340)
Stock-based compensation expense	2,457	2,183
Proceeds from repayment of trading investment securities	544	541
Proceeds from repayment of loans purchased as held for sale	82,864	95,194
Net change in:
Interest receivable	32,911	43,124
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable	(698)	381
Other assets	(2,369)	(19,179)
Increase (Decrease) in Financial Instruments Sold, Not yet Purchased	0	1,657,901
Accrued interest payable	(10,525)	(18,919)
Other liabilities	(864)	4,910
Net cash provided by operating activities	165,417	1,830,652
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of loans held for investment	(565,829)	(567,774)
Purchases of defaulted loans	(2,244)	(440)
Proceeds from repayment of loans purchased as held for investment	248,989	303,905
Proceeds from sale of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities	231,242	169,820
(Payments)/proceeds from sale of real estate owned	(1)	1,224
Net cash used in investing activities	(367,899)	(1,205,249)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Excess tax benefits related to stock-based awards	154	57
Payments to third parties on debt securities of consolidated trusts	(42,449)	(34,080)
Proceeds from common stock issuance	1,685	209
Investment in Contour	175	0
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock	(244,000)	(6,000)
Dividends paid - Non-controlling interest - preferred stock	(5,415)	(16,778)
Dividends paid on common and preferred stock	(15,166)	(8,832)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	355,631	(747,046)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	153,149	(121,643)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,363,387	749,313
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,516,536	627,670
Medium-term Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of discount notes and medium-term notes	3,406,037	2,644,707
Payments to redeem discount notes and medium-term notes	(3,875,715)	(2,121,000)
Discount Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of discount notes and medium-term notes	68,066,267	32,008,889
Payments to redeem discount notes and medium-term notes	(66,933,948)	(33,360,658)
Investment Securities [Member]
Net change in:
Proceeds from (Payments for) Securities Purchased under Agreements to Resell	0	1,630,427
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of available-for-sale investment securities and Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	(1,282,474)	(1,171,063)
Proceeds from repayment of available-for-sale investment securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	1,111,093	894,475
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale investment securities	83,735	770,149
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of available-for-sale investment securities and Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	(1,093,737)	(1,074,019)
Proceeds from repayment of available-for-sale investment securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	901,327	1,098,901
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Preferred Stock Issuances	0	73,061
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Preferred Stock Issuances	0	73,379
Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	$ (1,994)	$ 0