Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Schedule of Held-to-maturity Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, Amortized Cost [Abstract]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost, before Other-than-temporary Impairment	$ 4,262,792	$ 4,244,124
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, Fair Value [Abstract]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Fair Value	$ 4,191,352	4,179,772
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted Average Yield, Single Maturity Date [Abstract]
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, after Five Through Ten Years, Weighted Average Yield	3.39%
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, After Ten Years, Weighted-Average Yield	3.57%
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, Amortized Cost [Abstract]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, within One Year, Amortized Cost	$ 762,474
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, after One Through Five Years, Amortized Cost	1,388,053
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, after Five Through Ten Years, Amortized Cost	212,283
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost, before Other-than-temporary Impairment	2,096,618	2,126,274
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, Fair Value [Abstract]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, within One Year, Fair Value	759,480
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, after One Through Five Years, Fair Value	1,379,827
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, after Five Through Ten Years, Fair Value	205,952
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Fair Value	$ 2,087,405	$ 2,116,891
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted Average Yield, Single Maturity Date [Abstract]
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Next Twelve Months, Weighted-Average Yield	2.11%
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Year Two Through Five, Weighted-Average Yield	3.04%
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted-Average Yield	3.12%
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, after 10 Years, Amortized Cost	$ 1,899,982
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Maturity, Allocated and Single Maturity Date, after 10 Years, Fair Value	$ 1,846,093

Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, After Ten Years, Weighted-Average Yield

No definition available.

Name:	agm_HeldtoMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterTenYearsWeightedAverageYield
Namespace Prefix:	agm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Next Twelve Months, Weighted-Average Yield

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	agm_HeldtoMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextTwelveMonthsWeightedAverageYield
Namespace Prefix:	agm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted-Average Yield

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	agm_HeldtoMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWeightedAverageYield
Namespace Prefix:	agm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted Average Yield, Single Maturity Date [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	agm_HeldtoMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWeightedAverageYieldSingleMaturityDateAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	agm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Year Two Through Five, Weighted-Average Yield

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	agm_HeldtoMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesYearTwoThroughFiveWeightedAverageYield
Namespace Prefix:	agm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, after Five Through Ten Years, Weighted Average Yield

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	agm_HeldtomaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesafterFiveThroughTenYearsWeightedAverageYield
Namespace Prefix:	agm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) accretion, of investment in debt securities measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesAmortizedCostBeforeOtherThanTemporaryImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing in sixth through tenth fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75019621&loc=d3e62586-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing in sixth through tenth fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsNetCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing in next fiscal year through fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75019621&loc=d3e62586-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing in next fiscal year through fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75019621&loc=d3e62586-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsNetCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing after tenth fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)(4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75019621&loc=d3e62586-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterTenYearsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security, measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing after tenth fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)(4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75019621&loc=d3e62586-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterTenYearsNetCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesSingleMaturityDateAmortizedCostBasisAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesSingleMaturityDateFairValueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75019621&loc=d3e62586-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWithinOneYearFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75019621&loc=d3e62586-112803

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27232-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWithinOneYearNetCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: