CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY Statement - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Beginning Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2014			8,400,000		10,937,000
Beginning 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]
Attributable to Farmer Mac	13,260		0		0		0		0		13,260		0
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling interest	(5,354)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	35,651		0		0		0		35,651		0		0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(3,295)		0		0		0		0		(3,295)		0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(1,750)		0		0		0		0		(1,750)		0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues				0		0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 4		$ 0		$ 0		$ 4		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	839		0		0		839		0		0		0
Other stock-based award activity	(38)		0		0		(38)		0		0		0
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC preferred stock	(244,000)		$ 0		$ 0		0		0		(8,147)		(235,853)
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Mar. 31, 2015			8,400,000		10,937,000
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2015	582,500		$ 204,759		$ 10,937		114,364		51,184		201,081		175
Beginning Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2015			8,400,000		10,687,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	553,720		$ 204,759		$ 10,687		117,862		(11,019)		231,228		203
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Attributable to Farmer Mac	13,612		0		0		0		0		13,612		0
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling interest	28		0		0		0		0		0		28
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(7,898)		0		0		0		(7,898)		0		0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(3,295)		0		0		0		0		(3,295)		0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(2,702)		0		0		0		0		(2,702)		0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues				0		71,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 74		$ 0		$ 71		3		0		0		0
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock		(668,000)		0		(307,000)
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock		$ (9,088)		$ 0		$ (307)		$ 0		$ 0		$ (8,781)		$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	1,027		0		0		1,027		0		0		0
Other stock-based award activity	(1,458)		0		0		(1,458)		0		0		0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	52		$ 0		$ 0		0		0		0		52
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Mar. 31, 2016			8,400,000		10,451,000
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2016	$ 544,016		$ 204,759		$ 10,451		$ 117,434		$ (18,917)		$ 230,062		$ 227