CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY Statement - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Beginning Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2013					2,400,000				10,886,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 574,469				$ 58,333				$ 10,886				$ 110,722				$ (16,202)				$ 168,877				$ 241,853
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Attributable to Farmer Mac	48,090				0				0				0				0				48,090				0
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling interest	(22,192)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	31,735				0				0				0				31,735				0				0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(9,839)				0				0				0				0				(9,839)				0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(6,115)				0				0				0				0				(6,115)				0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues						3,000,000	3,000,000	0		0	0	51,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 73,044	$ 73,382	$ 285		$ 73,044	$ 73,382	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	$ 51		$ 0	$ 0	$ 234		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	2,859				0				0				2,859				0				0				0
Other stock-based award activity	(256)				0				0				(256)				0				0				0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	175				0				0				0				0				0				175
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC preferred stock	(6,000)				$ 0				$ 0				0				0				0				(6,000)
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2014					8,400,000				10,937,000
Ending 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	68,700				0				0				0				0				68,700				0
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling interest	(5,139)				0				0				0				0				0				(214)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(26,552)				0				0				0				(26,552)				0				0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(13,182)				0				0				0				0				(13,182)				0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(7,000)				0				0				0				0				(7,000)				0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues								0				112,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues				1,732				$ 0				$ 112				1,620				0				0				0
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock								0				(362,000)
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock				(10,518)				$ 0				$ (362)				0				0				(10,156)				0
Stock-based compensation cost	3,269				0				0				3,269				0				0				0
Other stock-based award activity	(586)				0				0				(586)				0				0				0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	242				0				0				0				0				0				242
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC preferred stock	(244,000)				$ 0				$ 0				0				0				(8,147)				(235,853)
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2015					8,400,000				10,687,000
Ending 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	77,334				0				0				0				0				77,334				0
Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling interest	34				0				0				0				0				0				(34)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	44,777				0				0				0				44,777				0				0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(13,182)				0				0				0				0				(13,182)				0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(10,885)				0				0				0				0				(10,885)				0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues								0				159,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues				$ 693				$ 0				$ 159				534				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	3,343				0				0				3,343				0				0				0
Other stock-based award activity	(3,084)				0				0				(3,084)				0				0				0
Investment in subsidiary - non-controlling interest	53				$ 0				$ 0				0				0				0				53
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2016					8,400,000				10,539,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 643,647				$ 204,759				$ 10,539				$ 118,655				$ 33,758				$ 275,714				$ 222