CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY Statement - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ 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		10,937
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	38,718		0		0		0		0		38,718		0
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling interest	(5,235)		0		0		0		0		0		(119)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	7,200		0		0		0		7,200		0		0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(6,591)		0		0		0		0		(6,591)		0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(3,516)		0		0		0		0		(3,516)		0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues				0		102
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 109		$ 0		$ 102		$ 7		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	1,644		0		0		1,644		0		0		0
Other stock-based award activity	888		0		0		888		0		0		0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	131		0		0		0		0		0		131
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC preferred stock	(244,000)		$ 0		$ 0		0		0		(8,147)		(235,853)
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Jun. 30, 2015			8,400		11,039
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2015	576,293		$ 204,759		$ 11,039		116,098		22,733		221,477		187
Beginning Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2015			8,400		10,687
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	28,914		0		0		0		0		28,914		0
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling interest	44		0		0		0		0		0		(44)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	23,403		0		0		0		23,403		0		0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(6,591)		0		0		0		0		(6,591)		0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(5,421)		0		0		0		0		(5,421)		0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues				0		80
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		86		$ 0		$ 80		6		0		0		0
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock				0		(307)
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock		$ (9,088)		$ 0		$ (307)		$ 0		$ 0		$ (8,781)		$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	1,788		0		0		1,788		0		0		0
Other stock-based award activity	(1,667)		0		0		(1,667)		0		0		0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	53		$ 0		$ 0		0		0		0		53
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Jun. 30, 2016			8,400		10,460
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2016	$ 585,153		$ 204,759		$ 10,460		$ 117,989		$ 12,384		$ 239,349		$ 212