Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Farmer Mac and its two subsidiaries: (1) Farmer Mac Mortgage Securities Corporation ("FMMSC"), whose principal activities are to facilitate the purchase and issuance of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and (2) Farmer Mac II LLC, whose principal activity is the operation of substantially all of the business related to the USDA Guarantees line of business – primarily the acquisition of USDA-guaranteed portions of loans that are guaranteed by the USDA pursuant to the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ("USDA Guaranteed Securities"). The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which Farmer Mac determined itself to be the primary beneficiary.
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Statements of Cash Flows	Cash and Cash Equivalents and Statements of Cash Flows Farmer Mac considers highly liquid investment securities with maturities at the time of purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents is a reasonable estimate of their approximate fair value. Changes in the balance of cash and cash equivalents are reported in the consolidated statements of cash flows.
Earnings/Loss Per Common Share	Earnings/Loss Per Common Share Basic earnings/loss per common share ("EPS") is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted earnings per common share is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding adjusted to include all potentially dilutive common stock options, stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), and non-vested restricted stock awards.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain reclassifications of prior period information were made to conform to the current period presentation.

Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Farmer Mac and its two subsidiaries: (1) Farmer Mac Mortgage Securities Corporation ("FMMSC"), whose principal activities are to facilitate the purchase and issuance of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and (2) Farmer Mac II LLC, whose principal activity is the operation of substantially all of the business related to the USDA Guarantees line of business – primarily the acquisition of USDA-guaranteed portions of loans that are guaranteed by the USDA pursuant to the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ("USDA Guaranteed Securities"). The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which Farmer Mac determined itself to be the primary beneficiary.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Statements of Cash Flows

Farmer Mac considers highly liquid investment securities with maturities at the time of purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents is a reasonable estimate of their approximate fair value. Changes in the balance of cash and cash equivalents are reported in the consolidated statements of cash flows.

Earnings/Loss Per Common Share

Basic earnings/loss per common share ("EPS") is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted earnings per common share is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding adjusted to include all potentially dilutive common stock options, stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), and non-vested restricted stock awards.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications of prior period information were made to conform to the current period presentation.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for cash and cash equivalents, including the policy for determining which items are treated as cash equivalents. Other information that may be disclosed includes (1) the nature of any restrictions on the entity's use of its cash and cash equivalents, (2) whether the entity's cash and cash equivalents are insured or expose the entity to credit risk, (3) the classification of any negative balance accounts (overdrafts), and (4) the carrying basis of cash equivalents (for example, at cost) and whether the carrying amount of cash equivalents approximates fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Name Financial Reporting Release (FRR)

-Number 203

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Technical Practice Aid (TPA)

-Number 2110

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for consolidation to describe the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest held by the entity requires the variable interest entity to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the variable interest entity; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; and the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities that significantly impact the economic performance of the variable interest entity are shared (as defined).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Appendix D

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-Appendix D

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-Number 167

-Paragraph 22B

-Subparagraph a

-Appendix D

+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for computing basic and diluted earnings or loss per share for each class of common stock and participating security. Addresses all significant policy factors, including any antidilutive items that have been excluded from the computation and takes into account stock dividends, splits and reverse splits that occur after the balance sheet date of the latest reporting period but before the issuance of the financial statements.

+ References+ Details