CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY Statement - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Beginning Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2012							58,000						10,702,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 592,962						$ 57,578						$ 10,702						$ 106,617						$ 73,969						$ 102,243						$ 241,853
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Farmer Mac	75,328						0						0						0						0						75,328						0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(22,187)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(90,171)						0						0						0						(90,171)						0						0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(3,495)						0						0						0						0						(3,495)						0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(5,199)						0						0						0						0						(5,199)						0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues								2,400,000	0					0	184,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 58,333	$ 209					$ 58,333	$ 0					$ 0	$ 184					$ 0	$ 25					$ 0	$ 0					$ 0	$ 0					$ 0	$ 0
Redemption of Series C preferred stock (retired on January 17, 2013)										58,000						0
Redemption of Series C preferred stock (retired on January 17, 2013)				$ (57,578)						$ (57,578)						$ 0						$ 0						$ 0						$ 0						$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	2,966						0						0						2,966						0						0						0
Other stock-based award activity	1,114						$ 0						$ 0						1,114						0						0						0
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2013							2,400,000						10,886,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	574,469						$ 58,333						$ 10,886						110,722						(16,202)						168,877						241,853
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Farmer Mac	48,090						0						0						0						0						48,090						0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(22,192)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	31,735						0						0						0						31,735						0						0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(9,839)						0						0						0						0						(9,839)						0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(6,115)						0						0						0						0						(6,115)						0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues									0		3,000,000	3,000,000			51,000		0	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues			70		$ 73,044	$ 73,382			$ 0		$ 73,044	$ 73,382			$ 51		$ 0	$ 0			19		$ 0	$ 0			0		$ 0	$ 0			0		$ 0	$ 0			0		$ 0	$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	2,859						0						0						2,859						0						0						0
Other stock-based award activity	(41)						0						0						(41)						0						0						0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	175						0						0						0						0						0						175
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC preferred stock	(6,000)						$ 0						$ 0						0						0						0						(6,000)
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2014							8,400,000						10,937,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	781,829						$ 204,759						$ 10,937						113,559						15,533						201,013						236,028
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Farmer Mac	68,700						0						0						0						0						68,700						0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(5,139)						0						0						0						0						0						(214)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(26,552)						0						0						0						(26,552)						0						0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(13,182)						0						0						0						0						(13,182)						0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(7,000)						0						0						0						0						(7,000)						0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues									0						112,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues			$ 125						$ 0						$ 112						13						0						0						0
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock			362,000						0						362,000
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock			$ (10,518)						$ 0						$ (362)						$ 0						$ 0						$ (10,156)						$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	3,269						0						0						3,269						0						0						0
Other stock-based award activity	1,021						0						0						1,021						0						0						0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	242						0						0						0						0						0						242
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC preferred stock	(244,000)						$ 0						$ 0						0						0						(8,147)						(235,853)
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2015							8,400,000						10,687,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 553,720						$ 204,759						$ 10,687						$ 117,862						$ (11,019)						$ 231,228						$ 203