Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Financing Receivables Credit Quality Indicators (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[2]	$ 6,240,467		$ 6,139,304
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[3]	50,807	[1]	21,038	[4]
Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	5,935,501		5,845,308
Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	133,441		128,803
Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	171,525		165,193
Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,461,183		3,410,498
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		24,364	[1]	13,822	[4]
Crops [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,309,523		3,281,371
Crops [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	65,926		55,645
Crops [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	85,734		73,482
Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,056,634		1,037,440
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		20,690	[1]	3,652	[4]
Permanent Plantings [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	989,257		971,477
Permanent Plantings [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	17,499		18,020
Permanent Plantings [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	49,878		47,943
Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,298,482		1,305,844
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		2,612	[1]	707	[4]
Livestock [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,229,860		1,228,840
Livestock [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	43,834		48,416
Livestock [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	24,788		28,588
Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	359,405		324,074
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		3,141	[1]	2,857	[4]
Part-Time Farm [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	344,565		304,728
Part-Time Farm [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	6,168		6,716
Part-Time Farm [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	8,672		12,630
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	51,481		48,051
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	0	[4]
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	49,590		46,082
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	0		0
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	1,891		1,969
Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	13,282		13,397
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	0	[4]
Other Commodity [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	12,706		12,810
Other Commodity [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	14		6
Other Commodity [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	562		581
On-balance sheet [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,643,386		3,514,454
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[3]	49,534	[1]	19,757	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,470,206		3,352,959
On-balance sheet [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	74,049		73,809
On-balance sheet [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	99,131		87,686
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,197,896		2,157,098
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		23,484	[1]	13,449	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,104,716		2,080,227
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	39,725		35,223
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	53,455		41,648
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	625,930		597,130
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		20,690	[1]	3,245	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	593,926		568,221
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	1,024		1,139
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	30,980		27,770
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	581,318		548,517
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		2,612	[1]	669	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	542,790		504,784
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	31,132		33,075
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	7,396		10,658
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	215,701		191,270
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		2,748	[1]	2,394	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	206,233		179,288
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	2,168		4,372
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	7,300		7,610
On-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	13,640		11,545
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	0	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	13,640		11,545
On-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	0		0
On-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	0		0
On-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	8,901		8,894
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	0	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	8,901		8,894
On-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	0		0
On-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	0		0
Off-balance sheet [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,597,081		2,624,850
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[3]	1,273	[1]	1,281	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,465,295		2,492,349
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	59,392		54,994
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	72,394		77,507
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,263,287		1,253,400
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		880	[1]	373	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,204,807		1,201,144
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	26,201		20,422
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	32,279		31,834
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	430,704		440,310
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	407	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	395,331		403,256
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	16,475		16,881
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	18,898		20,173
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	717,164		757,327
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	38	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	687,070		724,056
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	12,702		15,341
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	17,392		17,930
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	143,704		132,804
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		393	[1]	463	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	138,332		125,440
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	4,000		2,344
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	1,372		5,020
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	37,841		36,506
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	0	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	35,950		34,537
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	0		0
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	1,891		1,969
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	4,381		4,503
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	0	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,805		3,916
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	14		6
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	$ 562		$ 581

[1] Amounts represent unpaid principal balance of risk-rated loans, which is the basis Farmer Mac uses to analyze its portfolio, and recorded investment of past due loans.

[2] Geographic regions: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY); Southwest (AZ, CA, CO, HI, NM, NV, UT); Mid-North (IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, NE, ND, SD, WI); Mid-South (AR, KS, LA, MO, OK, TX); Northeast (CT, DE, KY, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV); Southeast (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN).

[3] Includes loans and loans underlying off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs that are 90 days or more past due, in foreclosure, or in bankruptcy with at least one missed payment, excluding loans performing under either their original loan terms or a court-approved bankruptcy plan.

[4] Amounts represent unpaid principal balance of risk-rated loans, which is the basis Farmer Mac uses to analyze its portfolio, and recorded investment of past due loans.

[5] Assets in the "Special mention" category generally have potential weaknesses due to performance issues but are currently considered to be adequately secured.

[6] Substandard assets have a well-defined weakness or weaknesses and there is a distinct possibility that some loss will be sustained if deficiencies are not corrected.