Federal Agricultural Mortgage (AGM) 10-K 10 Mar 16 2015 FY Annual report Financial data

DOCUMENT AND ENTITY INFORMATION

DOCUMENT AND ENTITY INFORMATION DOCUMENT AND ENTITY INFORMATION - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 01, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORP
Entity Central Index Key	845,877
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2015
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	false
Trading Symbol	AGM
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Public Float			$ 297,772,287
Common Class A, Voting [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		1,030,780
Common Class B, Voting [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		500,301
Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		8,849,409

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,210,084	$ 1,363,387
Loans:
Loans held for investment, at amortized cost	3,258,413	2,833,461
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	708,111	692,478
Allowance for loan losses	(4,480)	(5,864)
Total loans, net of allowance	3,962,044	3,520,075
Real estate owned, at lower of cost or fair value	1,369	421
Financial derivatives, at fair value	3,816	4,177
Interest receivable (includes $7,938 and $9,509, respectively, related to consolidated trusts)	112,700	106,874
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable	40,189	39,462
Deferred tax asset, net	42,916	33,391
Prepaid expenses and other assets	47,780	55,413
Total Assets	15,540,354	14,287,821
Notes payable:
Due within one year	9,111,461	7,353,953
Due after one year	4,967,036	5,471,186
Total notes payable	14,078,497	12,825,139
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	713,536	424,214
Financial derivatives, at fair value	77,199	84,844
Accrued interest payable (includes $6,705 and $5,145, respectively, related to consolidated trusts)	47,621	48,355
Guarantee and commitment obligation	38,609	37,925
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	29,089	81,252
Reserve for losses	2,083	4,263
Total Liabilities	$ 14,986,634	$ 13,505,992
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 12)
Common stock:
Additional paid-in capital	$ 117,862	$ 113,559
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)/income, net of tax	(11,019)	15,533
Retained earnings	231,228	201,013
Total Stockholders' Equity	553,517	545,801
Non-controlling interest	203	236,028
Total Equity	553,720	781,829
Total Liabilities and Equity	15,540,354	14,287,821
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock:
Preferred stock	58,333	58,333
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock:
Preferred stock	73,044	73,044
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock:
Preferred stock	73,382	73,382
Common Class A, Voting [Member]
Common stock:
Common Stock	1,031	1,031
Common Class B, Voting [Member]
Common stock:
Common Stock	500	500
Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Common stock:
Common Stock	9,156	9,406
Investment Securities [Member]
Assets:
Available-for-sale, at fair value	2,775,025	1,938,499
Trading, at fair value	491	689
Marketable Securities	2,775,516	1,939,188
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities:
Assets:
Available-for-sale, at fair value	4,152,605	3,659,281
Held-to-maturity, at amortized cost	1,274,016	1,794,620
Marketable Securities	5,426,621	5,453,901
USDA Securities [Member]
Assets:
Available-for-sale, at fair value	1,888,344	1,731,222
Trading, at fair value	28,975	40,310
Marketable Securities	$ 1,917,319	$ 1,771,532

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Pa

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Interest receivable - Consolidated Trusts amount	$ 112,700	$ 106,874
Accrued interest payable - Consolidated Trusts amount	$ 47,621	$ 48,355
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock, par value	$ 25	$ 25
Preferred stock, shares authorized	2,400,000	2,400,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	2,400,000	2,400,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	2,400,000	2,400,000
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock, par value	$ 25	$ 25
Preferred stock, shares authorized	3,000,000	3,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	3,000,000	3,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	3,000,000	3,000,000
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock, par value	$ 25	$ 25
Preferred stock, shares authorized	3,000,000	3,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	3,000,000	3,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	3,000,000	3,000,000
Common Class A, Voting [Member]
Common stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, shares outstanding	1,030,780	1,030,780
Common Class B, Voting [Member]
Common stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, shares outstanding	500,301	500,301
Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Common stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, shares outstanding	9,155,661	9,406,267
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Interest receivable - Consolidated Trusts amount	$ 7,938	$ 9,509
Accrued interest payable - Consolidated Trusts amount	$ 6,705	$ 5,145

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPER

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Interest income:
Investments and cash equivalents	$ 13,338		$ 17,269		$ 21,940
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities	134,443		128,923		139,730
Loans	117,042		94,875		85,059
Total interest income	264,823	[1]	241,067	[2]	246,729	[2]
Total interest expense	139,016	[3]	170,720	[4]	137,276	[4]
Net interest income	125,807		70,347		109,453
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses	(2,388)		961		481
Net interest income after (provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses	123,419		71,308		109,934
Non-interest income:
Guarantee and commitment fees	14,077		14,694		15,627
Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities	2,531		(21,646)		31,764
Gains/(losses) on trading securities	1,220		38,629		(819)
Gains/(losses) on sale of available-for-sale investment securities	9		(238)		2,113
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	0		0		1,462
(Losses)/gains on sale of real estate owned	(1)		137		1,236
Other income	2,305		1,714		3,057
Non-interest income	20,141		33,290		54,440
Non-interest expense:
Compensation and employee benefits	22,047		19,009		17,817
General and administrative	13,111		12,197		11,563
Regulatory fees	2,413		2,381		2,375
Real estate owned operating costs, net	91		110		423
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses	(2,180)		(2,205)		929
Non-interest expense	35,482	[5]	31,492	[6]	33,107	[6]
Income before income taxes	108,078		73,106		131,267
Income tax expense	34,239		2,824		33,752
Net income	73,839		70,282		97,515
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(5,139)		(22,192)		(22,187)
Net income attributable to Farmer Mac	68,700		48,090		75,328
Preferred stock dividends	(13,182)		(9,839)		(3,495)
Loss on retirement of preferred stock	(8,147)		0		0
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 47,371		$ 38,251		$ 71,833
Earnings per common share and dividends:
Basic earnings per common share	$ 4.33		$ 3.50		$ 6.64
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 4.19000		$ 3.37000		$ 6.41000
[1]	Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts.
[2]	Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts and interest income related to securities purchased under agreements to resell.
[3]	Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in "Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities" on the consolidated financial statements.
[4]	Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in "Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities" on the consolidated financial statements. Includes reconciling adjustments for interest expense related to securities sold, not yet purchased.
[5]	Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount
[6]	Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMP

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 73,839	$ 70,282	$ 97,515
Net unrealized (losses)/gains on available-for sale securities	(30,387)	39,980	(138,831)
Net changes in held-to-maturity securities	(9,922)	9,190	0
Net unrealized (losses)/gains on cash flow hedges	(541)	(347)	107
Other comprehensive (loss)/income before tax	(40,850)	48,823	(138,724)
Income tax benefit/(expense) related to other comprehensive income	14,298	(17,088)	48,553
Other comprehensive (loss)/income, net of tax	(26,552)	31,735	(90,171)
Comprehensive income	47,287	102,017	7,344
Less: comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interest	5,139	22,192	22,187
Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Farmer Mac	$ 42,148	$ 79,825	$ (14,843)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUI

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY Statement - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Common Stock [Member]Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Beginning Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2012							58,000						10,702,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 592,962						$ 57,578						$ 10,702						$ 106,617						$ 73,969						$ 102,243						$ 241,853
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Farmer Mac	75,328						0						0						0						0						75,328						0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(22,187)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(90,171)						0						0						0						(90,171)						0						0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(3,495)						0						0						0						0						(3,495)						0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(5,199)						0						0						0						0						(5,199)						0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues								2,400,000	0					0	184,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 58,333	$ 209					$ 58,333	$ 0					$ 0	$ 184					$ 0	$ 25					$ 0	$ 0					$ 0	$ 0					$ 0	$ 0
Redemption of Series C preferred stock (retired on January 17, 2013)										58,000						0
Redemption of Series C preferred stock (retired on January 17, 2013)				$ (57,578)						$ (57,578)						$ 0						$ 0						$ 0						$ 0						$ 0
Stock-based compensation cost	2,966						0						0						2,966						0						0						0
Other stock-based award activity	1,114						$ 0						$ 0						1,114						0						0						0
Ending Balance (Shares Outstanding) at Dec. 31, 2013							2,400,000						10,886,000
Ending 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]
Net income attributable to Farmer Mac	48,090						0						0						0						0						48,090						0
Less: Net 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									0		3,000,000	3,000,000			51,000		0	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues			70		$ 73,044	$ 73,382			$ 0		$ 73,044	$ 73,382			$ 51		$ 0	$ 0			19		$ 0	$ 0			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	(41)						0						0						(41)						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]
Net income attributable to Farmer Mac	68,700						0						0						0						0						68,700						0
Less: Net 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			$ 125						$ 0						$ 112						13						0						0						0
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock			362,000						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	1,021						0						0						1,021						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

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 73,839	$ 70,282	$ 97,515
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net amortization of deferred gains, premiums, and discounts on loans, investments, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities	2,889	18,461	26,217
Amortization of debt premiums, discounts and issuance costs	15,060	9,689	11,839
Net change in fair value of trading securities, hedged assets, and financial derivatives	(12,144)	8,213	(44,362)
(Gains)/losses on sale of available-for-sale investment securities	(9)	238	(2,113)
Gains on repurchase of debt	0	0	(1,462)
Losses/(gains) on sale of real estate owned	1	(137)	(1,236)
Total (release of)/provision for losses	208	(3,166)	448
Deferred income taxes	3,992	(6,979)	6,670
Stock-based compensation expense	3,269	2,859	2,967
Proceeds from repayment of trading investment securities	657	685	774
Proceeds from repayment of loans purchased as held for sale	95,592	98,712	168,589
Net change in:
Interest receivable	(5,826)	3,007	(4,063)
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable	(727)	1,768	(1,887)
Other assets	8,454	(39,624)	52,872
Accrued interest payable	(734)	(5,417)	1,993
Other liabilities	(166)	(3,539)	(771)
Net cash provided by operating activities	184,355	155,052	313,990
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of loans held for investment	(837,176)	(749,099)	(911,846)
Purchases of defaulted loans	(16,907)	(705)	(6,704)
Proceeds from repayment of loans purchased as held for investment	311,136	337,466	265,151
Proceeds from sale of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities	336,913	175,754	150,417
(Payments)/proceeds from sale of real estate owned	(1)	1,927	4,042
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,250,533)	(83,662)	(995,093)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Excess tax benefits related to stock-based awards	154	51	1,160
Payments to third parties on debt securities of consolidated trusts	(47,574)	(37,512)	(56,278)
Proceeds from common stock issuance	1,689	244	1,913
Investment in Contour	242	175	0
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock	(244,000)	(6,000)	0
Dividends paid - Non-controlling interest - preferred stock	(5,415)	(22,192)	(22,187)
Dividends paid on common and preferred stock	(20,182)	(13,996)	(7,979)
Net cash provided by financing activities	912,875	542,684	644,852
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(153,303)	614,074	(36,251)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,363,387	749,313	785,564
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,210,084	1,363,387	749,313
Medium-term Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of discount notes and medium-term notes	4,375,368	3,544,818	2,886,783
Payments to redeem discount notes and medium-term notes	(4,842,281)	(3,108,000)	(2,066,602)
Discount Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of discount notes and medium-term notes	97,129,959	38,388,899	64,859,652
Payments to redeem discount notes and medium-term notes	(95,424,765)	(38,350,229)	(64,952,365)
Investment Securities [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of available-for-sale investment securities and Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	(2,403,910)	(1,545,658)	(1,703,082)
Proceeds from repayment of available-for-sale investment securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	1,489,074	1,327,044	1,350,491
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale investment securities	83,735	770,149	366,562
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of available-for-sale investment securities and Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	(1,180,570)	(1,555,272)	(1,635,394)
Proceeds from repayment of available-for-sale investment securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	967,173	1,154,732	1,125,270
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Preferred Stock Issuances	0	0	58,333
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Preferred Stock Issuances	0	73,044	0
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Preferred Stock Issuances	0	73,382	0
Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Common stock repurchased	(10,320)	0	0
Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Retirement of Series C Preferred stock	$ 0	$ 0	$ (57,578)

Organization - ORGANIZATION

Organization - ORGANIZATION	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	ORGANIZATION The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation ("Farmer Mac") is a stockholder-owned, federally chartered instrumentality of the United States established under Title VIII of the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended (12 U.S.C. §§ 2279aa et seq.), which is sometimes referred to as Farmer Mac's charter. Farmer Mac was originally created by the United States Congress to provide a secondary market for a variety of loans made to borrowers in rural America. This secondary market is designed to increase the availability of long-term credit at stable interest rates to America's rural communities and to provide rural borrowers with the benefits of capital markets pricing and product innovation. Since Farmer Mac's inception, Congress has expanded Farmer Mac's charter to authorize Farmer Mac to create the USDA Guarantees line of business and to purchase, and guarantee securities backed by, loans made by cooperative lenders to finance electrification and telecommunications systems in rural areas. Farmer Mac's main secondary market activities are: • purchasing eligible loans directly from lenders; • providing advances against eligible loans by purchasing obligations secured by those loans; • securitizing assets and guaranteeing the payment of principal and interest on the resulting securities that represent interests in, or obligations secured by, pools of eligible loans; and • issuing long-term standby purchase commitments ("LTSPCs") for eligible loans. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the total outstanding balance in all of Farmer Mac's lines of business was $15.9 billion and $14.6 billion , respectively. Under the Farm & Ranch line of business, Farmer Mac purchases eligible mortgage loans secured by first liens on agricultural real estate, which includes part-time farms and rural housing ("Farm & Ranch loans"). Farmer Mac also guarantees securities representing interests in pools of mortgage loans eligible for the Farm & Ranch line of business. Additionally, Farmer Mac commits to purchase, subject to the terms of the applicable LTSPC agreement, eligible Farm & Ranch mortgage loans. The securities guaranteed by Farmer Mac under this line of business are referred to as "Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities." To be eligible, loans must meet Farmer Mac's credit underwriting, collateral valuation, documentation, and other specified standards. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, outstanding loans held by Farmer Mac, loans that either backed off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities or were subject to LTSPCs, and other Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities totaled $5.7 billion and $5.4 billion , respectively. Under the USDA Guarantees line of business, Farmer Mac II LLC, a subsidiary of Farmer Mac, purchases the portions of certain agricultural, rural development, business and industry, and community facilities loans guaranteed by the United States Department of Agriculture under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. §§ 1921 et seq.). USDA-guaranteed portions are referred to and presented on the consolidated balance sheets as "USDA Securities." Farmer Mac II LLC also purchases USDA Securities in exchange for issuing securities to third parties backed by those USDA Securities, which are then also guaranteed by Farmer Mac. These issued securities are referred to and presented on the consolidated balance sheets as Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, outstanding Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities and USDA Securities totaled $1.9 billion and $1.8 billion , respectively. Farmer Mac's authorized activities under the Rural Utilities line of business are similar to those conducted under the Farm & Ranch line of business – purchases of, and guarantees of securities backed by, eligible rural utilities loans, as well as the issuance of LTSPCs for pools of eligible rural utilities loans ("Rural Utilities loans"). To be eligible, loans must meet Farmer Mac's credit underwriting and other specified standards. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the aggregate outstanding principal balance of Rural Utilities loans held or subject to LTSPCs was $1.5 billion and $1.0 billion , respectively. Under the Institutional Credit line of business, Farmer Mac guarantees and purchases general obligations of lenders that are secured by pools of loans that would be eligible under Farmer Mac's Farm & Ranch, USDA Guarantees, or Rural Utilities lines of business. AgVantage ® is a registered trademark of Farmer Mac used to designate Farmer Mac's guarantees of securities related to these general obligations of lenders that are secured by pools of eligible loans and that comprise the Institutional Credit line of business. For more information on the products currently offered under Farmer Mac's Institutional Credit line of business, see "Business—Farmer Mac Lines of Business—Institutional Credit." As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, outstanding securities held or guaranteed by Farmer Mac in its Institutional Credit line of business totaled $6.7 billion and $6.4 billion , respectively. Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities, and AgVantage Securities are collectively referred to as "Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities." The assets collateralizing Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities include (1) loans or loan participation interests eligible for purchase under either the Farm & Ranch or Rural Utilities lines of business or (2) USDA Securities eligible for purchase under the USDA Guarantees line of business. Farmer Mac guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on the resulting Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities. Farmer Mac may retain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities in its portfolio or sell them to third parties. Farmer Mac's two principal sources of revenue are: • interest income earned on assets held on balance sheet, net of related funding costs and interest payments and receipts on financial derivatives; and • guarantee and commitment fees received in connection with outstanding Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs. Farmer Mac funds its purchases of eligible loan assets and liquidity investment assets primarily by issuing debt obligations of various maturities in the public capital markets. As of December 31, 2015 , Farmer Mac had $6.6 billion of discount notes and $7.4 billion of medium-term notes outstanding. The proceeds of debt issuance are invested in loan purchases, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and liquidity investment assets in accordance with policies established by Farmer Mac's board of directors that comply with regulations promulgated by the Farm Credit Administration ("FCA").

Accounting Policies

Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Accounting Policies Disclosure	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES The accounting and reporting policies of Farmer Mac conform with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("generally accepted accounting principles" or "GAAP"). The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities (including, but not limited to, the allowance for loan losses, reserve for losses, other-than-temporary impairment of investment securities, and fair value measurements) as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The following are the significant accounting policies that Farmer Mac follows in preparing and presenting its consolidated financial statements: Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Farmer Mac and its three subsidiaries: (1) Farmer Mac Mortgage Securities Corporation ("FMMSC"), whose principal activities are to facilitate the purchase and issuance of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities; (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 Securities; and (3) Contour Valuation Services, LLC, whose principal activity is to appraise agricultural real estate. The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which Farmer Mac determined itself to be the primary beneficiary. See Note 2(q) for more information on consolidated VIEs. 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. Farmer Mac does not consider securities purchased under agreements to resell to be cash equivalents if it intends to reinvest the funds from maturing repurchase agreements into new repurchase agreements and the aggregate term of the repurchase agreements exceeds six months. Changes in the balance of cash and cash equivalents are reported in the consolidated statements of cash flows. The following table sets forth information regarding certain cash and non-cash transactions for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 2.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Cash paid during the period for: Interest $ 108,254 $ 171,644 $ 114,609 Income taxes 31,000 12,750 23,000 Non-cash activity: Real estate owned acquired through loan liquidation — — 1,443 Loans acquired and securitized as Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 336,913 175,754 150,417 Consolidation of Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities from off-balance sheet to loans held for investment in consolidated trusts and to debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties 336,913 199,906 150,417 Purchases of securities - traded, not yet settled 20,000 70,178 — Issuance costs on the retirement of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock 8,147 — — Unsettled common stock repurchases 197 — — Transfers of loans held for sale to loans held for investment — — 673,991 Transfers of available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities to held-to-maturity — 1,632,786 — On January 1, 2014, Farmer Mac transferred $1.6 billion of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity because Farmer Mac determined it has the ability and intent to hold these securities until maturity or payoff. Farmer Mac transferred these securities at fair value which reflected an unrealized holding gain of $22.3 million . Farmer Mac accounts for held-to-maturity securities at amortized cost. The unrealized holding gain is being amortized out of accumulated other comprehensive income over the remaining life of the transferred securities. On January 1, 2013, Farmer Mac transferred $674.0 million of loans from held for sale to held for investment because Farmer Mac either (1) no longer intends to sell these loans in the foreseeable future or (2) securitizes these loans using VIEs that are ultimately consolidated on Farmer Mac's balance sheet and reported as "Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost." Farmer Mac transferred these loans at the lower of cost or fair value (determined on a pooled basis). Farmer Mac recorded a $5.9 million unamortized discount for loans transferred at fair value. At the time of purchase, loans are classified as either held for sale or held for investment depending upon management's intent and ability to hold the loans for the foreseeable future. Cash receipts from the repayment of loans are classified within the statements of cash flows based on management's intent upon purchase of the loan. Transfers of Financial Assets and Liabilities Securities purchased under agreements to resell are treated as collateralized lending transactions. Farmer Mac's counterparties are required to pledge collateral for transactions involving securities purchased under agreements to resell. Farmer Mac considers the types of securities being pledged as collateral when determining how much to lend in these transactions. Additionally, on a daily basis, Farmer Mac reviews the fair values of these securities compared to amounts loaned and derivative counterparty collateral posting thresholds in an effort to minimize exposure to losses. These transactions are reported as securities purchased under agreements to resell in the consolidated balance sheets except for securities purchased under agreements to resell on an overnight basis, which are included in cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated balance sheets. Farmer Mac records securities purchased under agreements to resell at the amount loaned in the consolidated balance sheets. The resulting fees for these transactions are included in interest income in the consolidated statements of operations . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, there were no outstanding securities purchased under agreements to resell. Securities sold, not yet purchased, represent obligations of Farmer Mac to deliver specified securities at contracted prices, which would thereby require Farmer Mac to purchase the securities in the market at prevailing prices. Farmer Mac records securities sold, not yet purchased in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities " in the consolidated statements of operations . The resulting interest expense for these transactions is included in interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, there were no outstanding securities sold, not yet purchased. Investment Securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities Securities for which Farmer Mac has the intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as held-to-maturity and are carried at amortized cost. Securities for which Farmer Mac does not have the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as available-for-sale or trading and are carried at estimated fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders' equity. For securities classified as trading, unrealized gains and losses are included in earnings. Gains and losses on the sale of available-for-sale and trading securities are determined using the specific identification cost method. Farmer Mac determines the fair value of investment securities using quoted market prices, when available, and evaluates the securities for other-than-temporary impairment. Farmer Mac determines the fair values of certain investment securities for which quoted market prices are not available, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities based on the present value of the associated expected future cash flows. In estimating the present value of the expected future cash flows, management is required to make estimates and assumptions. The key estimates and assumptions include discount rates and collateral repayment rates. Premiums, discounts, and other deferred costs are amortized to interest income over the estimated life of the security using the effective interest method. Farmer Mac generally receives compensation when loans with yield maintenance provisions underlying Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities prepay. These yield maintenance payments mitigate Farmer Mac's exposure to reinvestment risk and are calculated such that, when reinvested with the prepaid principal, they should generate substantially the same cash flows that would have been generated had the loans not prepaid. Yield maintenance payments are recognized as interest income in the consolidated statements of operations upon receipt. Loans Loans for which Farmer Mac has the positive intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future are classified as held for investment and reported at their unpaid principal balance, net of unamortized purchase discounts or premiums. When Farmer Mac consolidates a trust, it recognizes the loans underlying the trust in the consolidated balance sheets as "Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost." See Note 2(q) for more information on the accounting policy related to consolidation. Loans that Farmer Mac does not intend to hold for the foreseeable future are classified as held for sale and reported at the lower of cost or fair value determined on a pooled basis. Farmer Mac does not amortize premiums and discounts related to loans held for sale. Non-accrual Loans Non-accrual loans are loans for which it is probable that Farmer Mac will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement and include all loans 90 days or more past due. When a loan becomes 90 days past due, interest accrual on the loan is discontinued and interest previously accrued is reversed against interest income in the current period. The interest on such loans is accounted for on the cash basis until a loan qualifies for return to accrual status. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest payments contractually due are collected and certain performance criteria are met. Securitization of Loans Asset securitization involves the transfer of financial assets to another entity in exchange for cash and/or beneficial interests in the assets transferred. Farmer Mac or third parties transfer agricultural real estate mortgage loans or rural utilities loans into trusts that are used as vehicles for the securitization of the transferred loans. The trusts issue Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities that are beneficial interests in the assets of the trusts, to either Farmer Mac or third party investors. Farmer Mac guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on the securities issued by the trusts and receives guarantee fees as compensation for its guarantee. Farmer Mac recognizes guarantee fees on an accrual basis over the terms of the Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, which generally coincide with the terms of the underlying loans. As such, no guarantee fees are unearned at the end of any reporting period. When Farmer Mac purchases a delinquent loan underlying a Farmer Mac Guaranteed Security, Farmer Mac stops accruing the guarantee fee upon loan purchase. Real Estate Owned Real estate owned ("REO") consists of real estate acquired through loan liquidation and is recorded at fair value less estimated selling cost at acquisition. Fair value is determined by appraisal or other appropriate valuation method. Any excess of the recorded investment in the loan over the fair value less estimated selling costs is charged to the allowance for loan losses. Subsequent to the acquisition, management continues to perform periodic valuations of real estate owned. Declines in the net realizable value (fair value less estimated selling costs) are charged through income and presented in "Real estate owned operating costs, net" on the consolidated statements of operations. Financial Derivatives Farmer Mac enters into financial derivative transactions principally to protect against risk from the effects of market price or interest rate movements on the value of certain assets, future cash flows or debt issuance, not for trading or speculative purposes. Farmer Mac enters into interest rate swap contracts principally to adjust the characteristics of its short-term debt to match more closely the cash flow and duration characteristics of its longer-term loans and other assets, and also to adjust the characteristics of its long-term debt to match more closely the cash flow and duration characteristics of its short-term assets, thereby reducing interest rate risk and often times deriving an overall lower effective cost of borrowing than would otherwise be available to Farmer Mac in the conventional debt market. Farmer Mac is required to recognize certain contracts and commitments as derivatives when the characteristics of those contracts and commitments meet the definition of a derivative. Accounting for financial derivatives differs depending on whether a derivative is designated in a formal hedging relationship. Derivative instruments designated in fair value hedging relationships mitigate exposure to changes in the fair value of assets or liabilities. Derivative instruments designated in cash flow hedging relationships mitigate exposure to the variability in expected future cash flows or other forecasted transactions. In order to qualify for fair value or cash flow hedge accounting treatment, documentation must indicate the intention to designate the derivative as a hedge of a specific asset, or liability, or a future cash flow. Effectiveness of the hedge is assessed at inception and monitored over the life of the hedging relationship. All financial derivatives are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value as a freestanding asset or liability. Changes in the fair values of financial derivatives not designated as cash flow hedges are reported in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . For financial derivatives designated in fair value hedging relationships, changes in the fair values of the hedged items related to the risk being hedged are also reported in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . The accrual of the contractual amounts due on the financial derivative is included as an adjustment to the yield of the hedged item and is reported in net interest income. For financial derivatives designated in cash flow hedging relationships, the effective portion of the derivative gain/loss is recorded in other comprehensive income; amounts are disclosed as a reclassification out of other comprehensive income and affecting net interest income when the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings. Any ineffective portion of designated hedge transactions is recognized immediately in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . Farmer Mac has made an accounting policy election to measure the credit risk of its derivative financial instruments that are subject to master netting agreements on a net basis by counterparty portfolio, consistent with how Farmer Mac previously has been measuring credit risk for these instruments. See Notes 6 and 13 for more information on financial derivatives. Notes Payable Notes payable are classified as due within one year or due after one year based on the length of time remaining to their contractual maturities. Debt issuance costs and premiums and discounts are deferred and amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the contractual life of the related debt. Allowance for Loan Losses and Reserve for Losses Farmer Mac maintains an allowance for losses to cover estimated probable losses incurred as of the balance sheet date on loans held ("allowance for loan losses") and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities ("reserve for losses") based on available information. Disaggregation by commodity type is performed, where appropriate, in analyzing the need for an allowance for losses. The allowance for losses increases through periodic provisions for loan losses that are charged against net interest income and the reserve for losses increases through provisions for losses that are charged to non-interest expense, and decreases by charge-offs for actual losses, net of recoveries. Negative provisions, or releases of allowance for losses, generally occur when the estimate of probable losses as of the end of a period is lower than the estimate at the beginning of the period. In certain circumstances, for example, when a defaulted loan is purchased out of a guaranteed security or pursuant to an LTSPC, the related reserve for losses is reclassified as allowance for loan losses and there is a corresponding release from the provision for losses and a charge to the provision for loan losses. The total allowance for losses consists of a general allowance for losses and a specific allowance for individual impaired loans. Charge-offs Farmer Mac records a charge-off against the allowance for losses principally when a loss has been confirmed through the receipt of assets, generally the underlying collateral, in full satisfaction of the loan. The loss equals the excess of the recorded investment in the loan over the fair value of the collateral less estimated selling costs. General Allowance for Losses Farm & Ranch Farmer Mac's methodology for determining its allowance for losses incorporates Farmer Mac's automated loan classification system. That system scores loans based on criteria such as historical repayment performance, indicators of current financial condition, loan seasoning, loan size and loan-to-value ratio. The allowance methodology captures the migration of loan scores across concurrent and overlapping 3-year time horizons and calculates loss rates separately within each loan classification for (1) loans underlying LTSPCs and (2) loans held and loans underlying Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities. The calculated loss rates are applied to the current classification distribution of unimpaired loans in Farmer Mac's portfolio to estimate inherent losses, on the assumption that the historical credit losses and trends used to calculate loss rates will continue in the future. Management evaluates this assumption by taking into consideration several factors, including: • economic conditions; • geographic and agricultural commodity/product concentrations in the portfolio; • the credit profile of the portfolio; • delinquency trends of the portfolio; • historical charge-off and recovery activities of the portfolio; and • other factors to capture current portfolio trends and characteristics that differ from historical experience. Management believes that its use of this methodology produces a reasonable estimate of probable losses, as of the balance sheet date, for all loans held in the Farm & Ranch portfolio and loans underlying off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs. There were no purchases or sales during 2015 that materially affected the credit profile of the Farm & Ranch portfolio. Rural Utilities Farmer Mac separately evaluates the rural utilities loans it owns to determine if there are any probable losses inherent in those assets. No allowance for losses has been provided for this portfolio segment based on the performance of these loans and the credit quality of the collateral supporting rural utilities assets and Farmer Mac's counterparty risk analysis. As of December 31, 2015, there were no delinquencies and no probable losses inherent in Farmer Mac's Rural Utilities loans held or underlying LTSPCs. Specific Allowance for Impaired Loans Farmer Mac also analyzes certain loans in its portfolio for impairment in accordance with accounting guidance on measuring individual impairment of a loan. Farmer Mac's impaired loans generally include loans 90 days or more past due, in foreclosure, restructured, in bankruptcy and certain performing loans that have previously been delinquent or are secured by real estate that produces agricultural commodities or products currently under stress. Farmer Mac uses a risk-based approach in determining the necessity of obtaining updated appraisals on impaired loans. For example, larger exposures associated with highly improved and specialized collateral will generally receive updated appraisals once the loans are identified as impaired. In addition, updated appraisals are always obtained during the foreclosure process. Depending on the risk factors associated with the loan and underlying collateral, which can vary widely depending on the circumstances of the loan and collateral, this can occur early in the foreclosure process, while in other instances this may occur just prior to the transfer of title. As part of its routine credit review process, Farmer Mac often will exercise judgment in discounting an appraisal value due to local real estate trends or the condition of the property (e.g., following an inspection by Farmer Mac or the servicer). In addition, a property appraisal value may be discounted based on the market's reaction to Farmer Mac's asking price for sale of the property. For loans with an updated appraised value, other updated collateral valuation or management's estimate of discounted collateral value, this analysis includes the measurement of the fair value of the underlying collateral for individual loans relative to the total recorded investment, including principal, interest, and advances and net of any charge-offs. In the event that the collateral value does not support the total recorded investment, Farmer Mac specifically provides an allowance for the loan for the difference between the recorded investment and its fair value, less estimated costs to liquidate the collateral. Estimated selling costs are based on historical selling costs incurred by Farmer Mac or management's best estimate of selling costs for a particular property. For the remaining impaired assets without updated valuations, this analysis is performed in the aggregate in consideration of the similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics. Farmer Mac considers appraisals aged more than two years as of the reporting period end date to be outdated. Farmer Mac believes this methodology that uses loan classification scores and historical loss experience is a better indication of impairment for these collateral-dependent loans than other valuation methods. Earnings Per Common Share Basic earnings 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. The following schedule reconciles basic and diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 2.2 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Net Weighted-Average Shares $ per Net Weighted-Average Shares $ per Net Weighted-Average Shares $ per (in thousands, except per share amounts) Basic EPS Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 47,371 10,949 $ 4.33 $ 38,251 10,920 $ 3.50 $ 71,833 10,816 $ 6.64 Effect of dilutive securities (1) Stock options, SARs and restricted stock — 360 (0.14 ) — 447 (0.13 ) — 393 (0.23 ) Diluted EPS $ 47,371 11,309 $ 4.19 $ 38,251 11,367 $ 3.37 $ 71,833 11,209 $ 6.41 (1) For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, stock options and SARs of 304,132 , 109,143 , and 33,730 , respectively, were outstanding but not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share of common stock because they were anti-dilutive. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, contingent shares of non-vested restricted stock of 46,303 , 36,784 , and 26,696 , respectively, were outstanding but not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share of common stock because performance conditions had not yet been met. Income Taxes Deferred federal income tax assets and liabilities are established for temporary differences between financial and taxable income and are measured using the current enacted statutory tax rate. Income tax expense is equal to the income taxes payable in the current year plus the net change in the deferred tax asset or liability balance. Farmer Mac evaluates its tax positions at least quarterly to identify and recognize any liabilities related to uncertain tax positions in its federal income tax returns. Farmer Mac uses a two-step approach in which income tax benefits are recognized if, based on the technical merits of a tax position, it is more likely than not (a probability of greater than 50 percent ) that the tax position would be sustained upon examination by the taxing authority, which includes all related appeals and litigation process. The amount of tax benefit recognized is then measured at the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely to be realized upon settlement with the taxing authority, considering all information available at the reporting date. Farmer Mac's policy for recording interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax positions is to record them as a component of income tax expense. Farmer Mac establishes a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Stock-Based Compensation Farmer Mac accounts for its stock-based employee compensation plans using the grant date fair value method of accounting. Farmer Mac measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The cost is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. For performance-based grants, Farmer Mac recognizes the grant-date fair value over the vesting period as long as it remains probable that the performance conditions will be met. If the service or performance conditions are not met, Farmer Mac reverses previously recognized compensation expense upon forfeiture. Farmer Mac recognized $3.3 million , $2.9 million , and $3.0 million of compensation expense related to stock options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock awards for 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. Comprehensive Income Comprehensive income represents all changes in stockholders' equity except those resulting from investments by or distributions to stockholders, and is comprised of net income and unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, certain held-to-maturity securities transferred from the available-for-sale classification, and cash flow hedges, net of related taxes. The following table presents the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI"), net of tax, by component for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 2.3 Available-for-Sale Securities Held-to-Maturity Securities Cash Flow Hedges Total (in thousands) Balance as of January 1, 2013 $ 73,969 $ — $ — $ 73,969 Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications (75,465 ) — 63 (75,402 ) Amounts reclassified from AOCI (14,776 ) — 7 (14,769 ) Net other comprehensive (loss)/income (90,241 ) — 70 (90,171 ) Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ (16,272 ) $ — $ 70 $ (16,202 ) Other comprehensive income/(loss) before reclassifications 38,927 14,502 (364 ) 53,065 Amounts reclassified from AOCI (12,939 ) (8,529 ) 138 (21,330 ) Net other comprehensive income/(loss) 25,988 5,973 (226 ) 31,735 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 9,716 $ 5,973 $ (156 ) $ 15,533 Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications (6,026 ) — (1,155 ) (7,181 ) Amounts reclassified from AOCI (13,725 ) (6,449 ) 803 (19,371 ) Net other comprehensive (loss)/income (19,751 ) (6,449 ) (352 ) (26,552 ) Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ (10,035 ) $ (476 ) $ (508 ) $ (11,019 ) The following table presents other comprehensive income activity, the impact on net income of amounts reclassified from each component of AOCI, and the related tax impact for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 2.4 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Before Tax Provision (Benefit) After Tax Before Tax Provision (Benefit) After Tax Before Tax Provision (Benefit) After Tax (in thousands) Other comprehensive income/(loss): Available-for-sale-securities: Unrealized holding (losses)/gains on available-for-sale-securities $ (9,270 ) $ (3,244 ) $ (6,026 ) $ 59,887 $ 20,960 $ 38,927 $ (116,099 ) $ (40,634 ) $ (75,465 ) Less reclassification adjustments included in: Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities (1) (20,125 ) (7,044 ) (13,081 ) (19,213 ) (6,725 ) (12,488 ) (19,381 ) (6,783 ) (12,598 ) Gains on sale of available-for-sale investment securities (2) (10 ) (4 ) (6 ) 239 84 155 (2,114 ) (740 ) (1,374 ) Other income (3) (982 ) (344 ) (638 ) (933 ) (327 ) (606 ) (1,237 ) (433 ) (804 ) Total $ (30,387 ) $ (10,636 ) $ (19,751 ) $ 39,980 $ 13,992 $ 25,988 $ (138,831 ) $ (48,590 ) $ (90,241 ) Held-to-maturity securities: Change in fair value $ — $ — $ — $ 22,311 $ 7,809 $ 14,502 $ — $ — $ — Less reclassification adjustments included in: Net interest income (4) (9,922 ) (3,473 ) (6,449 ) (13,121 ) (4,592 ) (8,529 ) — — — Total $ (9,922 ) $ (3,473 ) $ (6,449 ) $ 9,190 $ 3,217 $ 5,973 $ — $ — $ — Cash flow hedges Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges $ (1,776 ) $ (621 ) $ (1,155 ) $ (559 ) $ (195 ) $ (364 ) $ 96 $ 33 $ 63 Less reclassification adjustments included in: Net interest income (5) 1,235 432 803 212 74 138 11 4 7 Total $ (541 ) $ (189 ) $ (352 ) $ (347 ) $ (121 ) $ (226 ) $ 107 $ 37 $ 70 Other comprehensive (loss)/income $ (40,850 ) $ (14,298 ) $ (26,552 ) $ 48,823 $ 17,088 $ 31,735 $ (138,724 ) $ (48,553 ) $ (90,171 ) (1) Relates to the amortization of unrealized gains on hedged items prior to the application of fair value hedge accounting. (2) Represents unrealized gains on sales of available-for-sale investment securities. (3) Represents amortization of deferred gains related to certain available-for-sale USDA Securities and Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities. (4) Relates to the amortization of unrealized gains or losses prior to the reclassification of these securities from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity. The amortization of unrealized gains or losses reported in AOCI for held-to-maturity securities will be offset by the amortization of the premium or discount created from the transfer into held-to-maturity securities, which occurred at fair value. These unrealized gains or losses will be recorded over the remaining life of the security with no impact on future net income. (5) Relates to the recognition of unrealized gains and losses on cash flow hedges recorded in AOCI. Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments Farmer Mac accounts for its LTSPCs as guarantees. Commitment fee income represents a reduction of the commitment obligation based on amortization using the actual prepayment experience on the underlying loans. See Note 2(j) for Farmer Mac's policy for estimating probable losses for LTSPCs and Note 12 for more information on the accounting for LTSPCs. Fair Value Measurement Farmer Mac defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date and establishes a fair value hierarchy that ranks the quality and reliability of the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives highest rank to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1 measurements) and the lowest rank to unobservable inputs (level 3 measurements). Farmer Mac's assessment of the significance of the input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument. Both ob

Related Party Transactions - R

Related Party Transactions - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]	RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS Farmer Mac considers an entity to be a related party if (1) the entity holds at least five percent of a class of Farmer Mac voting common stock or (2) the institution has an affiliation with a Farmer Mac director and conducts material business with Farmer Mac. As provided by Farmer Mac's statutory charter, only banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions or similar entities may hold Farmer Mac's Class A voting common stock and only institutions of the Farm Credit System may hold Farmer Mac's Class B voting common stock. Farmer Mac's statutory charter also provides that Class A stockholders elect five members of Farmer Mac's 15 -member board of directors and that Class B stockholders elect five members of the board of directors. Additionally, in order to participate in the Farm & Ranch program, a financial institution must own a requisite amount of Farmer Mac's common stock, based on the size and type of institution. As a result of these requirements, Farmer Mac conducts business with related parties in the normal course of Farmer Mac's business. All related party transactions were conducted with terms and conditions comparable to those available to any other participant in Farmer Mac's lines of business not related to Farmer Mac. Zions First National Bank : Farmer Mac considers Zions First National Bank and its affiliates ("Zions") a related party due to the ownership by Zions of approximately 31.2 percent of Class A voting common stock. The following transactions occurred between Farmer Mac and Zions during 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 3.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Unpaid Principal Balance: Purchases: Loans $ 178,890 $ 155,808 $ 210,088 USDA Securities 13,718 42,637 13,153 On-balance sheet AgVantage Securities — 50,237 — Sales of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 255,338 147,234 120,409 The purchases of loans from Zions under the Farm & Ranch line of business represented approximately 23.9 percent , 22.3 percent , and 25.5 percent of Farm & Ranch loan purchases for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, and 15.2 percent , 14.6 percent , and 15.4 percent , respectively, of total new Farm & Ranch business volume. The purchases of USDA Securities from Zions under the USDA Guarantees line of business represented approximately 3.6 percent , 12.4 percent , and 3.6 percent of purchases in that line of business for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. Outstanding Farm & Ranch loans, USDA Securities, and AgVantage securities purchased from Zions represented 5.7 percent and 5.9 percent , respectively, of Farmer Mac's outstanding business volume as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. Zions retained servicing fees of $9.3 million , $8.4 million , and $7.0 million in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, for its work as a Farmer Mac servicer. Zions acted as dealer for $5.0 million par value of Farmer Mac medium term notes during 2014 and none for 2015 and 2013. The related commissions Farmer Mac paid to Zions for these services were immaterial. The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Financial Corporation : Farmer Mac considers the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Financial Corporation ("CFC") a related party due to its ownership of approximately 7.9 percent of Class A voting common stock. The following transactions occurred between Farmer Mac and CFC during 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 3.2 Farmer Mac Loan Purchases and Guarantees For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Unpaid Principal Balance: Loans $ 108,337 $ 75,500 $ 86,965 LTSPCs 522,262 — — On-balance sheet AgVantage Securities 380,000 820,775 820,000 Off-balance sheet AgVantage Securities — 7,190 — Off-balance sheet Revolving floating rate AgVantage facility 300,000 — — Total purchases and guarantees $ 1,310,599 $ 903,465 $ 906,965 The transactions with CFC represented 100 percent of Farmer Mac's volume of loan purchases and LTSPC transactions under the Rural Utilities line of business for 2015, 2014, and 2013, represented 65.2 percent , 64.7 percent , and 64.4 percent of AgVantage securities volume under the Institutional Credit line of business for 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, and represented 40.6 percent , 32.7 percent , and 29.4 percent of total loan purchases for 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. Of Farmer Mac's total outstanding business volume as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Rural Utilities loans, loans under LTSPCs, and AgVantage securities issued by CFC represented 24.6 percent and 18.7 percent , respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, Farmer Mac earned guarantee fees of $0.1 million . Farmer Mac had interest receivable of $1.8 million and $1.2 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and earned interest income of $15.9 million , $15.8 million , and $27.8 million during 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, related to its AgVantage transactions with CFC. As of December 31, 2015 and for the year then ended, Farmer Mac had $0.1 million of commitment fees receivable from CFC and earned commitment fees of $0.5 million , respectively. Farmer Mac earned no commitment fees from CFC during 2014 or 2013. CFC retained servicing fees of $3.3 million for 2015 and $3.4 million in both 2014 and 2013 for its work as a Farmer Mac central servicer. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank : Farmer Mac has a related party relationship with AgFirst Farm Credit Bank ("AgFirst") resulting from AgFirst being a holder of approximately 16.8 percent of Farmer Mac Class B voting common stock. AgFirst entered into $28.5 million , $19.7 million , and $8.1 million of LTSPC transactions in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, and the aggregate balance of LTSPCs outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $112.7 million and $112.8 million , respectively. Farmer Mac received from AgFirst $0.4 million , $0.6 million , and $0.7 million in commitment fees in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, and had $0.1 million of commitment fees receivable as of both December 31, 2015 and 2014. AgFirst owns certain securities backed by rural housing loans for which Farmer Mac is the second-loss guarantor for the last ten percent. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the outstanding balance of those securities owned by AgFirst was $24.6 million and $28.9 million , respectively. Farmer Mac received guarantee fees of $0.1 million , $0.1 million , and $0.5 million in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, on those securities. Farm Credit Bank of Texas : Farmer Mac has a related party relationship with Farm Credit Bank of Texas resulting from the bank being a holder of approximately 7.7 percent of Farmer Mac Class B voting common stock and because a member of Farmer Mac's board of directors has an affiliation with that entity. Farmer Mac received from Farm Credit Bank of Texas commitment fees of $0.1 million , $0.2 million , and $0.2 million in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. The aggregate amount of LTSPCs outstanding with Farm Credit Bank of Texas as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $43.3 million and $51.5 million , respectively. In 2015, 2014, and 2013, Farm Credit Bank of Texas retained $0.3 million , $0.4 million , and $0.5 million , respectively, in servicing fees for its work as a Farmer Mac central servicer. Other Related Party Transactions : Farmer Mac purchased $21.1 million , $35.1 million , and $61.6 million in loans from First Dakota National Bank in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. Farmer Mac entered into $7.8 million of new LTSPCs in 2015, none for 2014, and $1.0 million in 2013, respectively with First Dakota National Bank. First Dakota National Bank retained servicing fees of $1.0 million , $0.8 million , and $0.6 million in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively, for its work as a Farmer Mac servicer. Farmer Mac purchased $2.1 million , $4.5 million , and $9.3 million in USDA Securities from Bath State Bank in 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. These institutions had a related party relationship with Farmer Mac because a member of Farmer Mac's board of directors is affiliated with each of those entities. Farmer Mac had a related party relationship with AgGeorgia during 2014 because a former member of Farmer Mac's board of directors had an affiliation with that entity while he served on Farmer Mac's board of directors during 2014. Effective June 2014, AgGeorgia was no longer a related party because this individual ceased his service on Farmer Mac's board of directors at that time. Amounts, where presented in 2014, represent activity for the entire year. Farmer Mac entered into $20.2 million and $27.5 million of new LTSPCs with AgGeorgia and received $0.1 million of commitment fees during 2014 and 2013, respectively. Farmer Mac owned $70.0 million of subordinated debt issued by CoBank as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Farmer Mac has a related party relationship with CoBank because CoBank is a major holder ( 32.6 percent ) of Farmer Mac Class B voting common stock and because a member of Farmer Mac's board of directors has an affiliation with that entity.

Investment Securities

Investment Securities	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Investment Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]	INVESTMENT SECURITIES The following tables set forth information about Farmer Mac's investment securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014: Table 4.1 As of December 31, 2015 Amount Outstanding Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 46,500 $ — $ 46,500 $ — $ (1,576 ) $ 44,924 Floating rate asset-backed securities 74,744 (253 ) 74,491 14 (776 ) 73,729 Floating rate corporate debt securities 10,000 — 10,000 — (9 ) 9,991 Fixed rate corporate debt securities 10,000 (1 ) 9,999 — (5 ) 9,994 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 1,353,495 3,515 1,357,010 2,768 (4,319 ) 1,355,459 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (1) 692 3,117 3,809 4,095 — 7,904 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt 70,000 — 70,000 — (3,751 ) 66,249 Fixed rate senior agency debt 214,000 (25 ) 213,975 12 — 213,987 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 993,680 (417 ) 993,263 2 (477 ) 992,788 Total available-for-sale 2,773,111 5,936 2,779,047 6,891 (10,913 ) 2,775,025 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities 2,211 — 2,211 — (1,720 ) 491 Total investment securities $ 2,775,322 $ 5,936 $ 2,781,258 $ 6,891 $ (12,633 ) $ 2,775,516 (1) Fair value includes $7.2 million of an interest-only security with a notional amount of $148.5 million . As of December 31, 2014 Amount Outstanding Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 46,600 $ — $ 46,600 $ — $ (6,024 ) $ 40,576 Floating rate asset-backed securities 100,730 (74 ) 100,656 283 (37 ) 100,902 Floating rate corporate debt securities 10,000 — 10,000 91 — 10,091 Fixed rate corporate debt securities 30,000 (10 ) 29,990 35 — 30,025 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 605,053 3,431 608,484 4,712 (443 ) 612,753 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (1) 853 3,542 4,395 3,807 — 8,202 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt 70,000 — 70,000 — (3,680 ) 66,320 Fixed rate senior agency debt 18,806 130 18,936 3 — 18,939 Floating rate U.S. Treasuries 75,000 (10 ) 74,990 — (11 ) 74,979 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 975,194 462 975,656 72 (16 ) 975,712 Total available-for-sale 1,932,236 7,471 1,939,707 9,003 (10,211 ) 1,938,499 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities 2,868 — 2,868 — (2,179 ) 689 Total investment securities $ 1,935,104 $ 7,471 $ 1,942,575 $ 9,003 $ (12,390 ) $ 1,939,188 (1) Fair value includes $7.3 million of an interest-only security with a notional amount of $152.4 million . During 2015, Farmer Mac received proceeds of $83.7 million from the sale of securities from its available-for-sale investment portfolio, resulting in gross realized gains of $0.1 million . During 2014, Farmer Mac received proceeds of $770.1 million from the sale of securities from its available-for-sale investment portfolio, resulting in gross realized losses of $0.8 million and gross realized gains of $0.6 million . During 2013, Farmer Mac received proceeds of $366.6 million from the sale of securities from its available-for-sale investment portfolio, resulting in gross realized gains of $3.1 million and gross realized losses of $1.0 million . Farmer Mac also recognized $0.1 million in losses during 2015 related to other-than-temporary impairment on two auction-rate certificate securities. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, unrealized losses on available-for-sale investment securities were as follows: Table 4.2 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 18,124 $ (1,576 ) Floating rate asset-backed securities 44,552 (464 ) 9,975 (312 ) Floating rate corporate debt securities 4,991 (9 ) — — Fixed rate corporate debt securities 9,994 (5 ) — — Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 794,959 (3,408 ) 100,192 (911 ) Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — — 66,249 (3,751 ) Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 944,842 (477 ) — — Total $ 1,799,338 $ (4,363 ) $ 194,540 $ (6,550 ) As of December 31, 2014 Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 40,576 $ (6,024 ) Floating rate asset-backed securities 19,388 (37 ) — — Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 76,100 (164 ) 76,867 (279 ) Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — — 66,320 (3,680 ) Floating rate U.S. Treasuries 74,980 (11 ) — — Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 325,033 (16 ) — — Total $ 495,501 $ (228 ) $ 183,763 $ (9,983 ) The unrealized losses presented above are principally due to a general widening of credit spreads from the dates of acquisition to December 31, 2015 and 2014, as applicable. The resulting decrease in fair values reflects an increase in the perceived risk by the financial markets related to those securities. As of December 31, 2015 , all of the investment securities in an unrealized loss position either were backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or had credit ratings of at least "AA+," except three that were rated "A-." As of December 31, 2014 , all of the investment securities in an unrealized loss position either were backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or had credit ratings of at least " AA+ ," except one that was rated " A- ." The unrealized losses were on 69 and 35 individual investment securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. As of December 31, 2015 , 17 of the securities in loss positions had been in loss positions for more than 12 months and had a total unrealized loss of $6.6 million . As of December 31, 2014 , 15 of the securities in loss positions had been in loss positions for more than 12 months and had a total unrealized loss of $10.0 million . Securities in unrealized loss positions for 12 months or longer have a fair value as of December 31, 2015 that is, on average, approximately 97 percent of their amortized cost basis. Farmer Mac believes that all of these unrealized losses are recoverable within a reasonable period of time by way of maturity or changes in credit spreads. Accordingly, Farmer Mac has concluded that none of the unrealized losses on these available-for-sale investment securities represents other-than-temporary impairment as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. Farmer Mac did not own any held-to-maturity investment securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. As of December 31, 2015 , Farmer Mac owned trading investment securities with an amortized cost of $2.2 million , a fair value of $0.5 million , and a weighted average yield of 4.41 percent . As of December 31, 2014 , Farmer Mac owned trading investment securities with an amortized cost of $2.9 million , a fair value of $0.7 million , and a weighted average yield of 4.24 percent . The amortized cost, fair value, and weighted average yield of available-for-sale investment securities by remaining contractual maturity as of December 31, 2015 are set forth below. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are included based on their final maturities, although the actual maturities may differ due to prepayments of the underlying assets. Table 4.3 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Amortized Fair Value Weighted- (dollars in thousands) Due within one year $ 1,222,236 $ 1,221,760 0.43% Due after one year through five years 146,389 147,101 1.10% Due after five years through ten years 575,023 573,082 0.86% Due after ten years 835,399 833,082 0.90% Total $ 2,779,047 $ 2,775,025 0.70%

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securitie

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]	FARMER MAC GUARANTEED SECURITIES AND USDA SECURITIES The following tables set forth information about on-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014: Table 5.1 As of December 31, 2015 Unpaid Principal Balance Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Held-to-maturity: AgVantage $ 1,274,431 $ (415 ) $ 1,274,016 $ 7,801 $ — $ 1,281,817 Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 4,164,952 $ — $ 4,164,952 $ 26,831 $ (70,539 ) $ 4,121,244 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 31,554 (333 ) 31,221 140 — 31,361 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 4,196,506 (333 ) 4,196,173 26,971 (70,539 ) 4,152,605 USDA Securities 1,849,322 1,890 1,851,212 37,160 (28 ) 1,888,344 Total available-for-sale $ 6,045,828 $ 1,557 $ 6,047,385 $ 64,131 $ (70,567 ) $ 6,040,949 Trading: USDA Securities $ 27,129 $ 1,934 $ 29,063 $ 125 $ (213 ) $ 28,975 As of December 31, 2014 Unpaid Principal Balance Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Held-to-maturity: AgVantage $ 1,785,340 $ 9,280 $ 1,794,620 $ 6,211 $ (255 ) $ 1,800,576 Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 3,625,073 $ — $ 3,625,073 $ 36,442 $ (29,853 ) $ 3,631,662 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 27,831 (442 ) 27,389 237 (7 ) 27,619 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 3,652,904 (442 ) 3,652,462 36,679 (29,860 ) 3,659,281 USDA Securities 1,717,813 3,162 1,720,975 11,850 (1,603 ) 1,731,222 Total available-for-sale $ 5,370,717 $ 2,720 $ 5,373,437 $ 48,529 $ (31,463 ) $ 5,390,503 Trading: USDA Securities $ 38,412 $ 2,748 $ 41,160 $ 114 $ (964 ) $ 40,310 As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, unrealized losses on held-to-maturity and available-for-sale on-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities were as follows: Table 5.2 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 1,193,866 $ (41,835 ) $ 1,104,981 $ (28,704 ) USDA Securities — — 103,010 (28 ) Total available-for-sale $ 1,193,866 $ (41,835 ) $ 1,207,991 $ (28,732 ) As of December 31, 2014 Held-to-Maturity and Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Held-to-maturity: AgVantage $ 547 $ (1 ) $ 49,745 $ (254 ) Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 685,131 $ (13,115 ) $ 1,460,089 $ (16,738 ) Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 3,720 (7 ) — — USDA Securities 264,375 (1,549 ) 97,817 (54 ) Total available-for-sale $ 953,226 $ (14,671 ) $ 1,557,906 $ (16,792 ) The unrealized losses presented above are principally due to higher interest rates from the date of acquisition to December 31, 2015 and 2014, as applicable. The credit exposure related to Farmer Mac's USDA Guarantees line of business is covered by the full faith and credit guarantee of the United States. The unrealized losses from AgVantage securities were on 22 available-for-sale securities as of December 31, 2015 . There were no unrealized losses from held-to-maturity AgVantage securities as of December 31, 2015 . The unrealized losses from AgVantage securities were on 2 held-to-maturity securities and 23 available-for-sale securities as of December 31, 2014 . As of December 31, 2015 , 8 available-for-sale AgVantage securities had been in a loss position for more than 12 months with a total unrealized loss of $28.7 million . As of December 31, 2014 , 15 available-for-sale AgVantage securities had been in a loss position for more than 12 months with a total unrealized loss of $16.7 million . Farmer Mac has concluded that none of the unrealized losses on its held-to-maturity Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities are other-than-temporary impairment as of either December 31, 2015 or 2014. Farmer Mac does not intend to sell these securities, and it is not more likely than not that Farmer Mac will be required to sell the securities before recovery of the amortized cost basis. During 2015, 2014, and 2013, Farmer Mac realized no gains or losses from the sale of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities. The amortized cost, fair value, and weighted average yield of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities by remaining contractual maturity as of December 31, 2015 are set forth below. The balances presented are based on their final maturities, although the actual maturities may differ due to prepayments of the underlying assets. Table 5.3 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Amortized Fair Value Weighted- (dollars in thousands) Due within one year $ 667,704 $ 668,996 2.54 % Due after one year through five years 1,593,602 1,597,710 1.42 % Due after five years through ten years 1,292,198 1,299,302 1.97 % Due after ten years 2,493,881 2,474,941 2.52 % Total $ 6,047,385 $ 6,040,949 2.11 % As of December 31, 2015 Held-to-Maturity Securities Amortized Fair Value Weighted- (dollars in thousands) Due within one year $ 680,330 $ 680,956 2.27 % Due after one year through five years 593,686 600,861 2.23 % Total $ 1,274,016 $ 1,281,817 2.25 % As of December 31, 2015 , Farmer Mac owned trading USDA Securities with an amortized cost of $29.1 million , a fair value of $29.0 million , and a weighted average yield of 5.53 percent . As of December 31, 2014 , Farmer Mac owned trading USDA Securities with an amortized cost of $41.2 million , a fair value of $40.3 million , and a weighted average yield of 5.60 percent .

Financial Derivatives

Financial Derivatives	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure	FINANCIAL DERIVATIVES Farmer Mac enters into financial derivative transactions principally to protect against risk from the effects of market price or interest rate movements on the value of certain assets, future cash flows, or debt issuance, and not for trading or speculative purposes. Certain financial derivatives are designated as fair value hedges of fixed rate assets, primarily classified as available-for-sale, to protect against fair value changes in the assets related to a benchmark interest rate (i.e., LIBOR). Other financial derivatives are designated as cash flow hedges to mitigate the volatility of future interest rate payments on floating rate debt. Farmer Mac manages the interest rate risk related to loans it has committed to acquire, but has not yet permanently funded, through the use of forward sale contracts on the debt of other GSEs and futures contracts involving U.S. Treasury securities. Farmer Mac uses forward sale contracts on GSE securities to reduce its interest rate exposure to changes in both U.S. Treasury rates and spreads on Farmer Mac debt. The notional amounts of these contracts are determined based on a duration-matched hedge ratio between the hedged item and the hedge instrument. Gains or losses generated by these hedge transactions are expected to offset changes in funding costs. All financial derivatives are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value as a freestanding asset or liability. Changes in the fair values of financial derivatives not designated as cash flow hedges are reported in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . For financial derivatives designated in fair value hedging relationships, changes in the fair values of the hedged items, which are primarily fixed rate AgVantage securities, related to the risk being hedged are also reported in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . Interest accruals on derivatives designated in fair value hedging relationships are recorded in " Total interest income " in the consolidated statements of operations. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, the amount of interest income recognized on those derivatives was $22.6 million , $19.7 million , and $18.0 million , respectively. For financial derivatives designated in cash flow hedging relationships, the effective portion of the derivative gain/loss is recorded in other comprehensive income and any ineffective portion is recognized immediately in" Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . Because the hedging instrument is an interest rate swap and the hedged forecasted transactions are future interest payments on variable-rate debt, amounts recorded in other comprehensive income are reclassified to " Total interest expense " in conjunction with the recognition of interest expense on the debt. During 2015 and 2014, $1.2 million and $0.2 million , respectively, was reclassified out of other comprehensive income into interest expense. The amount for 2013 was not material. As of December 31, 2015, Farmer Mac expects to reclassify $1.4 million pretax or $0.9 million after-tax from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, to earnings over the next twelve months. This amount could differ from amounts actually recognized due to changes in interest rates, hedge de-designations, and the addition of other hedges subsequent to December 31, 2015. The maximum term over which Farmer Mac is hedging exposure to the variability of future cash flows for all forecasted transactions is 10 years. During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, there were no gains or losses from interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges reclassified to earnings because it became probable the original forecasted transaction would not occur. The following tables summarize information related to Farmer Mac's financial derivatives on a gross basis without giving consideration to master netting arrangements as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and the effects of financial derivatives on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 6.1 As of December 31, 2015 Fair Value Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Notional Amount Asset (Liability) (dollars in thousands) Fair value hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable $ 1,276,285 $ 949 $ (26,703 ) 2.35% 0.37% 4.16 Cash flow hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 119,000 8 (1,381 ) 2.25% 0.64% 7.03 No hedge designation: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 454,041 229 (44,528 ) 3.73% 0.33% 6.02 Receive fixed non-callable 5,590,638 2,384 (4,205 ) 0.31% 0.47% 0.57 Receive fixed callable 230,000 — (421 ) 0.41% 0.91% 2.26 Basis swaps 725,000 232 (131 ) 0.22% 0.38% 2.33 Treasury futures 35,000 19 — 125.96 Credit valuation adjustment (5 ) 170 Total financial derivatives $ 8,429,964 $ 3,816 $ (77,199 ) Collateral pledged — 37,986 Net amount $ 3,816 $ (39,213 ) As of December 31, 2014 Fair Value Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Notional Amount Asset (Liability) (dollars in thousands) Fair value hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable $ 1,000,000 $ — $ (31,718 ) 2.47% 0.23% 3.98 Cash flow hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 15,000 — (289 ) 2.43% 0.51% 6.23 No hedge designation: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 490,183 537 (51,224 ) 4.23% 0.23% 7.05 Receive fixed non-callable 3,829,355 3,414 (461 ) 0.14% 0.27% 0.55 Receive fixed callable 383,565 1 (877 ) 0.12% 1.34% 3.47 Basis swaps 1,105,000 247 (406 ) 0.11% 0.31% 2.42 Agency forwards 12,768 — (53 ) 101.00 Treasury futures 1,700 — (3 ) 126.60 Credit valuation adjustment (22 ) 187 Total financial derivatives $ 6,837,571 $ 4,177 $ (84,844 ) Collateral pledged — 46,627 Net amount $ 4,177 $ (38,217 ) Table 6.2 Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Fair value hedges: Interest rate swaps (1) $ 5,965 $ (2,729 ) $ 29,538 Hedged items 3,100 14,520 (18,230 ) Gains on fair value hedges 9,065 11,791 11,308 Cash flow hedges: Loss recognized (ineffective portion) (551 ) (10 ) (39 ) Losses on cash flow hedges (551 ) (10 ) (39 ) No hedge designation: Interest rate swaps (3,204 ) (31,101 ) 21,394 Agency forwards (2,440 ) (1,842 ) (1,002 ) Treasury futures (339 ) (484 ) 103 (Losses)/gains on financial derivatives not designated in hedging relationships (5,983 ) (33,427 ) 20,495 Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities $ 2,531 $ (21,646 ) $ 31,764 (1) Included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness as of December 31, 2015 , but excluded from the amounts in the table, were losses of $9.2 million , for the year ended December 31, 2015 , attributable to the fair value of the swaps at the inception of the hedging relationship. Accordingly, the amounts recognized as hedge ineffectiveness for the year ended December 31, 2015 were gains of $0.1 million . The comparable amounts as of December 31, 2014 were losses of $ 11.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, attributable to the fair value of the swaps at the inception of the hedging relationship and, accordingly, losses of $ 0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, attributable to hedge ineffectiveness. The comparable amounts as of December 31, 2013 were losses of $ 11.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2013, attributable to the fair value of the swaps at the inception of the hedging relationships and, accordingly, gains of $ 0.5 million for the year ended December 2013, attributable to hedge ineffectiveness. Market risk is the risk of an adverse effect resulting from changes in interest rates or spreads on the value of a financial instrument. Farmer Mac manages market risk associated with financial derivatives by establishing and monitoring limits as to the degree of risk that may be undertaken. This risk is periodically measured as part of Farmer Mac's overall risk monitoring processes, which include market value of equity measurements, net interest income modeling, and other measures. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Farmer Mac's credit exposure to interest rate swap counterparties, excluding netting arrangements and any adjustment for nonperformance risk, but including accrued interest, was $6.4 million and $6.1 million , respectively; however, including netting arrangements and accrued interest, Farmer Mac's credit exposure was $47,000 and $0.4 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Farmer Mac held no cash as collateral for its derivatives in net asset positions, resulting in uncollateralized net asset positions of $47,000 and $0.4 million , respectively. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the fair value of Farmer Mac's derivatives in a net liability position including accrued interest but excluding netting arrangements and any adjustment for nonperformance risk, was $90.1 million and $99.4 million , respectively; however, including netting arrangements and accrued interest, the fair value of Farmer Mac's derivatives in a net liability position at the counterparty level, was $83.2 million and $93.4 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Farmer Mac posted cash of $38.0 million and no investment securities as of December 31, 2015 and posted cash of $46.6 million and no investment securities as of December 31, 2014. Farmer Mac records posted cash as a reduction in the outstanding balance of cash and cash equivalents and an increase in the balance of prepaid expenses and other assets. The investment securities posted as collateral are included in the investment securities balances on the consolidated balance sheets. If Farmer Mac had breached certain provisions of the derivative contracts as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, it could have been required to settle its obligations under the agreements or post additional collateral of $45.2 million and $46.8 million , respectively. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, there were no financial derivatives in a net payable position where Farmer Mac was required to pledge collateral which the counterparty had the right to sell or repledge. For certain derivatives, Farmer Mac clears interest rate swaps through a clearinghouse. Farmer Mac posts initial and variation margin to the clearinghouses through which centrally-cleared derivatives and futures contracts are traded. These collateral postings expose Farmer Mac to institutional credit risk in the event that either the clearinghouse or the futures commission merchant that Farmer Mac uses to post collateral to the clearinghouse fails to meet its obligations. Conversely, the use of centrally-cleared derivatives mitigates Farmer Mac's credit risk to individual counterparties because clearinghouses assume the credit risk among counterparties in centrally-cleared derivatives transactions. Of Farmer Mac's $8.4 billion notional amount of interest rate swaps outstanding as of December 31, 2015, $6.2 billion were cleared through swap clearinghouses. Of Farmer Mac's $6.8 billion notional amount of interest rate swaps outstanding as of December 31, 2014, $4.0 billion were cleared through swap clearinghouses.

Notes Payable - NOTES PAYABLE

Notes Payable - NOTES PAYABLE	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt Disclosure [Text Block]	NOTES PAYABLE Farmer Mac's borrowings consist of discount notes and medium-term notes, both of which are unsecured general obligations of Farmer Mac. Discount notes generally have original maturities of 1 year or less, whereas medium-term notes generally have maturities of 0.5 years to 15 years . The following tables set forth information related to Farmer Mac's borrowings as of December 31, 2015 and 2014: Table 7.1 December 31, 2015 Outstanding as of December 31 Average Outstanding During the Year Amount Weighted- Average Rate Amount Weighted- Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Due within one year: Discount notes $ 6,642,560 0.32 % $ 5,251,081 0.22 % Medium-term notes 595,991 0.38 % 761,998 0.25 % Current portion of long-term notes 1,872,910 1.05 % Total due within one year $ 9,111,461 0.48 % Due after one year: Medium-term notes due in: 2017 $ 1,200,558 1.02 % 2018 1,539,264 0.85 % 2019 520,284 1.73 % 2020 529,567 1.68 % Thereafter 1,177,363 3.05 % Total due after one year 4,967,036 1.59 % Total $ 14,078,497 0.87 % December 31, 2014 Outstanding as of December 31 Average Outstanding During the Year Amount Weighted- Average Rate Amount Weighted- Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Due within one year: Discount notes $ 4,925,828 0.11 % $ 4,059,708 0.15 % Medium-term notes 754,988 0.17 % 532,621 0.15 % Current portion of long-term notes 1,673,137 0.98 % $ 7,353,953 0.32 % Due after one year: Medium-term notes due in: 2016 $ 1,569,961 1.16 % 2017 1,219,192 0.90 % 2018 682,224 1.28 % 2019 872,576 1.42 % Thereafter 1,127,233 3.09 % Total due after one year 5,471,186 1.56 % Total $ 12,825,139 0.85 % The maximum amount of Farmer Mac's discount notes outstanding at any month end during each of the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $6.7 billion and $4.9 billion , respectively. Callable medium-term notes give Farmer Mac the option to redeem the debt at par value on a specified call date or at any time on or after a specified call date. The following table summarizes by maturity date the amounts and costs for Farmer Mac debt callable in 2016 as of December 31, 2015: Table 7.2 Debt Callable in 2016 as of December 31, 2015 Amount Weighted-Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Maturity: 2017 $ 103,977 0.77 % 2018 801,930 0.43 % 2019 — — % 2020 179,803 1.90 % Thereafter 219,333 2.59 % Total $ 1,305,043 1.02 % The following schedule summarizes the earliest interest rate reset date of total borrowings outstanding as of December 31, 2015, including callable and non-callable medium-term notes, assuming callable notes are redeemed at the initial call date: Table 7.3 Earliest Interest Rate Reset Date of Borrowings Outstanding Amount Weighted-Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Debt with interest rate resets in: 2016 $ 10,560,504 0.55% 2017 1,071,581 1.06% 2018 737,333 1.32% 2019 520,284 1.73% 2020 298,764 1.76% Thereafter 890,031 3.34% Total $ 14,078,497 0.87% During 2015 and 2014, Farmer Mac called $2.4 billion and $0.5 billion of callable medium-term notes, respectively. Authority to Borrow from the U.S. Treasury Farmer Mac's statutory charter authorizes it to borrow up to $1.5 billion from the U.S. Treasury through the issuance of debt obligations to the U.S. Treasury. Any funds borrowed from the U.S. Treasury may be used solely for the purpose of fulfilling Farmer Mac's guarantee obligations. Any debt obligations issued by Farmer Mac under this authority would bear interest at a rate determined by the U.S. Treasury, taking into consideration the average rate on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States as of the last day of the last calendar month ending before the date of the purchase of the obligations from Farmer Mac. The charter requires Farmer Mac to repurchase any of its debt obligations held by the U.S. Treasury within a reasonable time. As of December 31, 2015, Farmer Mac had not used this borrowing authority and does not expect to use this borrowing authority in the future. Gains on Repurchase of Outstanding Debt No outstanding debt repurchases were made in 2015 or 2014. In 2013, Farmer Mac repurchased $29.1 million of outstanding debt at a gain of $1.5 million .

Loans and Allowance for Losses

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Receivables [Abstract]
Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses and Concentration Risk Disclosure	LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOSSES Loans Farmer Mac classifies loans as either held for investment or held for sale. Loans held for investment are recorded at the unpaid principal balance, net of unamortized premium or discount and other cost adjustments. Loans held for sale are reported at the lower of cost or fair value determined on a pooled basis. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , Farmer Mac had no loans held for sale. The following table displays the composition of the loan balances as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.1 As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Unsecuritized In Consolidated Trusts Total Unsecuritized In Consolidated Trusts Total (in thousands) Farm & Ranch $ 2,249,864 $ 708,111 $ 2,957,975 $ 2,118,867 $ 421,355 $ 2,540,222 Rural Utilities 1,008,126 — 1,008,126 718,213 267,396 985,609 Total unpaid principal balance (1) 3,257,990 708,111 3,966,101 2,837,080 688,751 3,525,831 Unamortized premiums, discounts and other cost basis adjustments 423 — 423 (3,619 ) 3,727 108 Total loans 3,258,413 708,111 3,966,524 2,833,461 692,478 3,525,939 Allowance for loan losses (3,736 ) (744 ) (4,480 ) (5,324 ) (540 ) (5,864 ) Total loans, net of allowance $ 3,254,677 $ 707,367 $ 3,962,044 $ 2,828,137 $ 691,938 $ 3,520,075 (1) Unpaid principal balance is the basis of presentation in disclosures of outstanding balances for Farmer Mac's lines of business. Allowance for Losses Farmer Mac maintains an allowance for losses presented in two components on its consolidated balance sheets: (1) an allowance for loan losses to account for estimated probable losses on loans held, and (2) a reserve for losses to account for estimated probable losses on loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , Farmer Mac reported total allowances for losses of $6.6 million and $10.1 million , respectively. See Note 5 and Note 12 for more information about off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs. The following is a summary of the changes in the total allowance for losses for each year in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015: Table 8.2 Allowance Reserve Total (in thousands) Balance as of January 1, 2013 $ 11,351 $ 5,539 $ 16,890 (Release of)/provision for losses (481 ) 929 448 Charge-offs (4,004 ) — (4,004 ) Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 6,866 $ 6,468 $ 13,334 Release of losses (961 ) (2,205 ) (3,166 ) Charge-offs (86 ) — (86 ) Recoveries 45 — 45 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 5,864 $ 4,263 $ 10,127 Provision for/(release of) losses 2,388 (2,180 ) 208 Charge-offs (3,772 ) — (3,772 ) Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ 4,480 $ 2,083 $ 6,563 During 2015 , Farmer Mac recorded provisions to its allowance for loan losses of $2.4 million and releases to its reserve for losses of $2.2 million . The provisions to the allowance for loan losses recorded during 2015 were primarily attributable to the establishment of a specific allowance for two Agricultural Storage and Processing loans that financed one canola facility. Farmer Mac recognized a charge-off of $3.7 million in fourth quarter 2015 on those loans. The provisions were offset by the reduction in the specific allowance for a permanent planting loan based on the updated appraised value of the collateral underlying such loan and releases to the general allowance from the reserve for losses due to substantial paydowns of Agricultural Storage and Processing loans underlying LTSPCs due to repayments of these loans at par. During 2014, Farmer Mac recorded releases from its allowance for loan losses of $1.0 million and releases from its reserve for losses of $2.2 million , primarily related to a decrease in the balance of its ethanol loans as well as a general improvement in the quality of the ethanol loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs. Farmer Mac recorded $0.1 million of charge-offs and recoveries of $45,000 to its allowance for loan losses during 2014. During 2013, Farmer Mac recorded releases from its allowance for loan losses of $0.5 million and provisions to its reserve for losses of $0.9 million . Farmer Mac also recorded $4.0 million in charge-offs to its allowance for loan losses during 2013. Charge-offs recorded during 2013 included a $3.6 million charge-off related to one ethanol loan that transitioned to real estate owned ("REO") for which Farmer Mac had previously provided a specific allowance. The following tables present the changes in the total allowance for losses for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 by commodity type: Table 8.3 December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Beginning Balance $ 2,519 $ 2,159 $ 1,423 $ 467 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 10,127 Provision for/(release of) losses 272 (1,228 ) 358 52 758 (4 ) 208 Charge-offs — — — (111 ) (3,661 ) — (3,772 ) Ending Balance $ 2,791 $ 931 $ 1,781 $ 408 $ 649 $ 3 $ 6,563 December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Beginning Balance $ 2,124 $ 2,186 $ 1,271 $ 454 $ 7,292 $ 7 $ 13,334 Provision for/(release of) losses 395 (72 ) 209 42 (3,740 ) — (3,166 ) Charge-offs — — (57 ) (29 ) — — (86 ) Recoveries — 45 — — — — 45 Ending Balance $ 2,519 $ 2,159 $ 1,423 $ 467 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 10,127 The following tables present the unpaid principal balances of loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and the related total allowance for losses by impairment method and commodity type as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.4 As of December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Ending Balance: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,911,039 $ 433,654 $ 444,320 $ 92,712 $ 15,944 $ 3,199 $ 2,900,868 Off-balance sheet 1,313,872 483,473 777,663 110,378 56,208 7,142 2,748,736 Total $ 3,224,911 $ 917,127 $ 1,221,983 $ 203,090 $ 72,152 $ 10,341 $ 5,649,604 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 12,803 $ 21,247 $ 5,958 $ 7,261 $ 9,838 $ — $ 57,107 Off-balance sheet 5,937 3,037 8,840 774 — — 18,588 Total $ 18,740 $ 24,284 $ 14,798 $ 8,035 $ 9,838 $ — $ 75,695 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 1,923,842 $ 454,901 $ 450,278 $ 99,973 $ 25,782 $ 3,199 $ 2,957,975 Off-balance sheet 1,319,809 486,510 786,503 111,152 56,208 7,142 2,767,324 Total $ 3,243,651 $ 941,411 $ 1,236,781 $ 211,125 $ 81,990 $ 10,341 $ 5,725,299 Allowance for Losses: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,968 $ 434 $ 702 $ 116 $ 167 $ — $ 3,387 Off-balance sheet 347 137 292 65 482 3 1,326 Total $ 2,315 $ 571 $ 994 $ 181 $ 649 $ 3 $ 4,713 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 290 $ 218 $ 384 $ 201 $ — $ — $ 1,093 Off-balance sheet 186 142 403 26 — — 757 Total $ 476 $ 360 $ 787 $ 227 $ — $ — $ 1,850 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 2,258 $ 652 $ 1,086 $ 317 $ 167 $ — $ 4,480 Off-balance sheet 533 279 695 91 482 3 2,083 Total $ 2,791 $ 931 $ 1,781 $ 408 $ 649 $ 3 $ 6,563 As of December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Ending Balance: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,621,360 $ 359,517 $ 406,049 $ 57,851 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,473,780 Off-balance sheet 1,305,141 521,535 839,286 102,857 85,357 6,781 2,860,957 Total $ 2,926,501 $ 881,052 $ 1,245,335 $ 160,708 $ 114,360 $ 6,781 $ 5,334,737 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 12,307 $ 35,904 $ 6,571 $ 11,660 $ — $ — $ 66,442 Off-balance sheet 2,458 3,239 8,712 1,586 — — 15,995 Total $ 14,765 $ 39,143 $ 15,283 $ 13,246 $ — $ — $ 82,437 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 1,633,667 $ 395,421 $ 412,620 $ 69,511 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,540,222 Off-balance sheet 1,307,599 524,774 847,998 104,443 85,357 6,781 2,876,952 Total $ 2,941,266 $ 920,195 $ 1,260,618 $ 173,954 $ 114,360 $ 6,781 $ 5,417,174 Allowance for Losses: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,824 $ 495 $ 658 $ 51 $ 503 $ — $ 3,531 Off-balance sheet 298 149 404 52 3,049 7 3,959 Total $ 2,122 $ 644 $ 1,062 $ 103 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 7,490 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 283 $ 1,410 $ 328 $ 312 $ — $ — $ 2,333 Off-balance sheet 114 105 33 52 — — 304 Total $ 397 $ 1,515 $ 361 $ 364 $ — $ — $ 2,637 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 2,107 $ 1,905 $ 986 $ 363 $ 503 $ — $ 5,864 Off-balance sheet 412 254 437 104 3,049 7 4,263 Total $ 2,519 $ 2,159 $ 1,423 $ 467 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 10,127 The following tables present by commodity type the unpaid principal balances, recorded investment, and specific allowance for losses related to impaired loans and the recorded investment in loans on nonaccrual status as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.5 As of December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Impaired Loans: With no specific allowance: Recorded investment $ 3,772 $ 12,340 $ 5,644 $ 1,851 $ — $ — $ 23,607 Unpaid principal balance 3,720 12,346 5,645 1,851 — — 23,562 With a specific allowance: Recorded investment (1) 15,103 11,939 9,050 6,185 9,838 — 52,115 Unpaid principal balance 15,020 11,938 9,153 6,184 9,838 — 52,133 Associated allowance 476 360 787 227 — — 1,850 Total: Recorded investment 18,875 24,279 14,694 8,036 9,838 — 75,722 Unpaid principal balance 18,740 24,284 14,798 8,035 9,838 — 75,695 Associated allowance 476 360 787 227 — — 1,850 Recorded investment of loans on nonaccrual status (2) $ 5,105 $ 16,546 $ 4,313 $ 5,870 $ 9,838 $ — $ 41,672 (1) Impairment analysis was performed in the aggregate in consideration of similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics on $46.4 million ( 61 percent ) of impaired loans as of December 31, 2015 , which resulted in a specific reserve of $1.0 million . (2) Includes $14.7 million of loans that are less than 90 days delinquent but which have not met Farmer Mac's performance criteria for returning to accrual status. As of December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Impaired Loans: With no specific allowance: Recorded investment $ 4,877 $ 5,837 $ 9,576 $ 2,001 $ — $ — $ 22,291 Unpaid principal balance 4,723 5,750 9,386 1,981 — — 21,840 With a specific allowance: Recorded investment (1) 10,753 33,690 5,979 11,350 — — 61,772 Unpaid principal balance 10,042 33,393 5,897 11,265 — — 60,597 Associated allowance 397 1,515 361 364 — — 2,637 Total: Recorded investment 15,630 39,527 15,555 13,351 — — 84,063 Unpaid principal balance 14,765 39,143 15,283 13,246 — — 82,437 Associated allowance 397 1,515 361 364 — — 2,637 Recorded investment of loans on nonaccrual status (2) $ 5,168 $ 14,413 $ 4,438 $ 6,133 $ — $ — $ 30,152 (1) Impairment analysis was performed in the aggregate in consideration of similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics on $54.4 million ( 65 percent ) of impaired loans as of December 31, 2014 , which resulted in a specific reserve of $1.2 million . (2) Includes $11.7 million of loans that are less than 90 days delinquent but which have not met Farmer Mac's performance criteria for returning to accrual status. The following table presents by commodity type the average recorded investment and interest income recognized on impaired loans for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.6 December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Average recorded investment in impaired loans $ 22,315 $ 36,326 $ 14,077 $ 10,605 $ 7,368 $ — $ 90,691 Income recognized on impaired loans 381 472 353 308 — — 1,514 December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Average recorded investment in impaired loans $ 20,625 $ 43,221 $ 13,543 $ 12,596 $ — $ 24 $ 90,009 Income recognized on impaired loans 373 474 327 359 — — 1,533 A modification to the contractual terms of a loan that results in granting a concession to a borrower experiencing financial difficulties is considered a troubled debt restructuring ("TDR"). Farmer Mac has granted a concession when, as a result of the restructuring, it does not expect to collect all amounts due in a timely manner, including interest accrued at the original contract rate. In making its determination of whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulties, Farmer Mac considers several factors, including whether (1) the borrower has declared or is in the process of declaring bankruptcy, (2) there is substantial doubt as to whether the borrower will continue to be a going concern, and (3) the borrower can obtain funds from other sources at an effective interest rate at or near a current market interest rate for debt with similar risk characteristics. Farmer Mac evaluates TDRs similarly to other impaired loans for purposes of the allowance for losses. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the recorded investment of loans determined to be TDRs was $1.1 million both before and after restructuring. For the year ended December 31, 2014, the recorded investment of loans determined to be TDRs was $5.3 million before restructuring and $6.0 million after restructuring. For the year ended December 31, 2013, the recorded investment of loans determined to be TDRs was $1.1 million both before and after restructuring. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, there were no TDRs identified during the previous 12 months that were in default under the modified terms. The impact of TDRs on Farmer Mac's allowance for loan losses was immaterial for the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014. The impact of TDRs on Farmer Mac's allowance for loan losses for the year ended December 31, 2013 was a provision of $0.1 million . When particular criteria are met, such as the default of the borrower, Farmer Mac becomes entitled to purchase the defaulted loans underlying Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities (commonly referred to as "removal-of-account" provisions). Farmer Mac records all such defaulted loans at their unpaid principal balance during the period in which Farmer Mac becomes entitled to purchase the loans and therefore regains effective control over the transferred loans. In accordance with the terms of all LTSPCs, Farmer Mac acquires loans that are either 90 days or 120 days delinquent (depending on the provisions of the applicable agreement) upon the request of the counterparty. Subsequent to the purchase, these defaulted loans are treated as nonaccrual loans and, therefore, interest is accounted for on the cash basis. Any decreases in expected cash flows are recognized as impairment. During 2015, Farmer Mac purchased six defaulted loans having an unpaid principal balance of $16.9 million from pools underlying Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs. During 2014, Farmer Mac purchased two defaulted loans having an unpaid principal balance of $0.7 million from a pool underlying an LTSPC. During 2013, Farmer Mac purchased 11 defaulted loans having an unpaid principal balance of $6.7 million from pools underlying Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs. The following tables present information related to Farmer Mac's acquisition of defaulted loans for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 and the outstanding balances and carrying amounts of all such loans as of December 31, 2015 , 2014, and 2013: Table 8.7 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Unpaid principal balance at acquisition date: Loans underlying LTSPCs $ 13,500 $ 705 $ 37 Loans underlying off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 3,407 — 6,667 Total unpaid principal balance at acquisition date 16,907 705 6,704 Contractually required payments receivable 17,036 705 6,907 Impairment recognized subsequent to acquisition 3,772 69 477 Recovery/release of allowance for defaulted loans 1,019 233 949 As of December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Outstanding balance $ 36,195 $ 24,921 $ 32,838 Carrying amount 34,015 22,149 29,613 Net credit losses and 90 -day delinquencies as of and for the periods indicated for loans held and loans underlying off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs are presented in the table below. As of December 31, 2015 , there were no delinquencies and no probable losses inherent in Farmer Mac's Rural Utilities loan portfolio and Farmer Mac had not experienced credit losses on any Rural Utilities loans. Table 8.8 90-Day Delinquencies (1) Net Credit Losses As of December 31, For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) On-balance sheet assets: Farm & Ranch: Loans $ 26,935 $ 18,427 $ 3,853 $ (6 ) $ 2,975 Total on-balance sheet $ 26,935 $ 18,427 $ 3,853 $ (6 ) $ 2,975 Off-balance sheet assets: Farm & Ranch: LTSPCs $ 5,201 $ 490 $ — $ — $ — Total off-balance sheet $ 5,201 $ 490 $ — $ — $ — Total $ 32,136 $ 18,917 $ 3,853 $ (6 ) $ 2,975 (1) 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, excluding loans performing under either their original loan terms or a court-approved bankruptcy plan. Of the $26.9 million and $18.4 million of on-balance sheet loans reported as 90 -day delinquencies as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, none and $1.8 million , respectively,were loans subject to "removal-of-account" provisions. Credit Quality Indicators Farmer Mac analyzes credit risk related to loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities based on internally assigned loan scores (i.e., risk ratings) that are derived by taking into consideration such factors as historical repayment performance, indicators of current financial condition, loan seasoning, loan size, and loan-to-value ratio. Loans are then classified into one of the following asset categories based on their underlying risk rating: acceptable; other assets especially mentioned; and substandard. Farmer Mac believes this analysis provides meaningful information regarding the credit risk profile of its Farm & Ranch portfolio as of each quarterly reporting period end date. Farmer Mac also uses 90-day delinquency information to evaluate its credit risk exposure on these assets because historically it has been the best measure of borrower credit quality deterioration. Most of the loans held and underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities have annual (January 1) or semi-annual (January 1 and July 1) payment dates and are supported by less frequent and less predictable revenue sources, such as the cash flows generated from the maturation of crops, sales of livestock, and government farm support programs. Taking into account the reduced frequency of payment due dates and revenue sources, Farmer Mac considers 90-day delinquency to be the most significant observation point when evaluating delinquency information. The following tables present credit quality indicators related to Farm & Ranch loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.9 As of December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Credit risk profile by internally assigned grade (1) On-balance sheet: Acceptable $ 1,888,762 $ 431,038 $ 409,003 $ 89,541 $ 15,944 $ 3,199 $ 2,837,487 Special mention (2) 22,255 2,616 35,317 2,918 — — 63,106 Substandard (3) 12,825 21,247 5,958 7,514 9,838 — 57,382 Total on-balance sheet $ 1,923,842 $ 454,901 $ 450,278 $ 99,973 $ 25,782 $ 3,199 $ 2,957,975 Off-Balance Sheet: Acceptable $ 1,279,454 $ 473,335 $ 753,472 $ 102,990 $ 56,208 $ 6,517 $ 2,671,976 Special mention (2) 24,422 7,226 13,121 2,938 — 523 48,230 Substandard (3) 15,933 5,949 19,910 5,224 — 102 47,118 Total off-balance sheet $ 1,319,809 $ 486,510 $ 786,503 $ 111,152 $ 56,208 $ 7,142 $ 2,767,324 Total Ending Balance: Acceptable $ 3,168,216 $ 904,373 $ 1,162,475 $ 192,531 $ 72,152 $ 9,716 $ 5,509,463 Special mention (2) 46,677 9,842 48,438 5,856 — 523 111,336 Substandard (3) 28,758 27,196 25,868 12,738 9,838 102 104,500 Total $ 3,243,651 $ 941,411 $ 1,236,781 $ 211,125 $ 81,990 $ 10,341 $ 5,725,299 Commodity analysis of past due loans (1) On-balance sheet $ 4,656 $ 7,405 $ 2,517 $ 2,519 $ 9,838 $ — $ 26,935 Off-balance sheet 511 — 4,542 148 — — 5,201 90 days or more past due $ 5,167 $ 7,405 $ 7,059 $ 2,667 $ 9,838 $ — $ 32,136 (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) Assets in the "Special mention" category generally have potential weaknesses due to performance issues but are currently considered to be adequately secured. (3) 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. As of December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Credit risk profile by internally assigned grade (1) On-balance sheet: Acceptable $ 1,604,546 $ 353,487 $ 375,010 $ 57,239 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,419,285 Special mention (2) 16,814 6,030 31,039 612 — — 54,495 Substandard (3) 12,307 35,904 6,571 11,660 — — 66,442 Total on-balance sheet $ 1,633,667 $ 395,421 $ 412,620 $ 69,511 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,540,222 Off-Balance Sheet Acceptable $ 1,282,773 $ 503,414 $ 799,047 $ 97,692 $ 64,363 $ 6,117 $ 2,753,406 Special mention (2) 13,603 12,150 30,281 1,351 — 8 57,393 Substandard (3) 11,223 9,210 18,670 5,400 20,994 656 66,153 Total off-balance sheet $ 1,307,599 $ 524,774 $ 847,998 $ 104,443 $ 85,357 $ 6,781 $ 2,876,952 Total Ending Balance: Acceptable $ 2,887,319 $ 856,901 $ 1,174,057 $ 154,931 $ 93,366 $ 6,117 $ 5,172,691 Special mention (2) 30,417 18,180 61,320 1,963 — 8 111,888 Substandard (3) 23,530 45,114 25,241 17,060 20,994 656 132,595 Total $ 2,941,266 $ 920,195 $ 1,260,618 $ 173,954 $ 114,360 $ 6,781 $ 5,417,174 Commodity analysis of past due loans (1) On-balance sheet $ 4,175 $ 6,869 $ 4,555 $ 2,828 $ — $ — $ 18,427 Off-balance sheet — — 490 — — — 490 90 days or more past due $ 4,175 $ 6,869 $ 5,045 $ 2,828 $ — $ — $ 18,917 (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) Assets in the "Special mention" category generally have potential weaknesses due to performance issues but are currently considered to be adequately secured. (3) 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. Concentrations of Credit Risk The following table sets forth the geographic and commodity/collateral diversification, as well as the range of original loan-to-value ratios, for all Farm & Ranch loans held and loans underlying off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 : Table 8.10 As of December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 (in thousands) By commodity/collateral type: Crops $ 3,243,651 $ 2,941,266 Permanent plantings 941,411 920,195 Livestock 1,236,781 1,260,618 Part-time farm 211,125 173,954 Ag. Storage and Processing 81,990 114,360 Other 10,341 6,781 Total $ 5,725,299 $ 5,417,174 By geographic region (1) : Northwest $ 582,127 $ 573,135 Southwest 1,726,927 1,753,606 Mid-North 2,009,654 1,873,041 Mid-South 769,831 627,615 Northeast 215,883 214,402 Southeast 420,877 375,375 Total $ 5,725,299 $ 5,417,174 By original loan-to-value ratio: 0.00% to 40.00% $ 1,594,818 $ 1,503,076 40.01% to 50.00% 1,279,321 1,191,804 50.01% to 60.00% 1,593,025 1,491,502 60.01% to 70.00% 1,107,710 1,091,759 70.01% to 80.00% 126,860 115,645 80.01% to 90.00% 23,565 23,388 Total $ 5,725,299 $ 5,417,174 (1) 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). The original loan-to-value ratio is calculated by dividing the loan principal balance at the time of guarantee, purchase, or commitment by the appraised value at the date of loan origination or, when available, the updated appraised value at the time of guarantee, purchase, or commitment. Current loan-to-value ratios may be higher or lower than the original loan-to-value ratios.

Equity

Equity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Equity Disclosure	EQUITY Common Stock Farmer Mac has three classes of common stock outstanding: • Class A voting common stock, which may be held only by banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions or similar entities that are not institutions of the Farm Credit System. By federal statute, no holder of Class A voting common stock may directly or indirectly be a beneficial owner of more than 33 percent of the outstanding shares of Class A voting common stock. • Class B voting common stock, which may be held only by institutions of the Farm Credit System. There are no restrictions on the maximum holdings of Class B voting common stock. • Class C non-voting common stock, which has no ownership restrictions. On September 8, 2015, Farmer Mac's board of directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing Farmer Mac to repurchase up to $25 million of its outstanding Class C non-voting common stock over the next two years. As of December 31, 2015, Farmer Mac had repurchased approximately 362,000 shares of Class C non-voting common stock at a cost of approximately $10.5 million pursuant to the share repurchase program. During 2015, 2014, and 2013, Farmer Mac paid a quarterly dividend of $0.16 , $0.14 , and $0.12 , respectively, per share on all classes of its common stock. Farmer Mac's ability to declare and pay a dividend could be restricted if it fails to comply with applicable capital requirements. Preferred Stock On June 20, 2014, Farmer Mac issued 3.0 million shares of 6.000 percent Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series C (the "Series C Preferred Stock"). On March 25, 2014, Farmer Mac issued 3.0 million shares of 6.875 percent Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B (the "Series B Preferred Stock"). On January 17, 2013, Farmer Mac issued 2.4 million shares of 5.875 percent Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A (the "Series A Preferred Stock"). The Series A Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock, and the Series C Preferred Stock (collectively referred to as the "Outstanding Preferred Stock") each has a par value of $25.00 per share and a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share. The Series A Preferred Stock and the Series B Preferred Stock pay an annual dividend rate of 5.875 percent and 6.875 percent , respectively, for the life of the securities. The Series C Preferred Stock pays an annual dividend rate of 6.000 percent from the date of issuance to and including the quarterly payment date occurring on July 17, 2024, and thereafter, at a floating rate equal to three-month LIBOR plus 3.26 percent . Farmer Mac has the right, but not the obligation, to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock at any time on and after January 17, 2018, the Series B Preferred Stock at any time on and after April 17, 2019, and the Series C Preferred Stock at any time on and after July 18, 2024, all at a price equal to the then-applicable liquidation preference. Dividends on all series of Outstanding Preferred Stock are non-cumulative, which means that if Farmer Mac's Board of Directors has not declared a dividend before the applicable dividend payment date for any dividend period, such dividend will not be paid or cumulate, and Farmer Mac will have no obligation to pay dividends for such dividend period, whether or not dividends on any series of Outstanding Preferred Stock are declared for any future dividend period. Farmer Mac incurred direct costs of $1.7 million related to the issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock, direct costs of $1.9 million related to the issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock, and direct costs of $1.6 million related to the issuance of the Series C Preferred Stock. Farmer Mac used the proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Stock to redeem and retire on January 17, 2013 its then-outstanding shares of Series C Non-Voting Cumulative Preferred Stock, which is different from the Series C Preferred Stock that is currently outstanding, and which had a par value and liquidation preference of $1,000 per share and had been issued in 2008 and 2009. As of December 31, 2015, Farmer Mac had 2.4 million shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding, 3.0 million shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding, and 3.0 million of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding. Farmer Mac's ability to declare and pay dividends on its preferred stock could be restricted if it fails to comply with applicable capital requirements. Farmer Mac's preferred stock is included as a component of core capital for regulatory and statutory capital compliance measurements. Non-Controlling Interest in Farmer Mac II LLC On January 25, 2010 , Farmer Mac completed a private offering of $250.0 million of securities issued by a newly formed Delaware statutory trust. The trust securities, called Farm Asset-Linked Capital Securities or "FALConS," represented undivided beneficial ownership interests in 250,000 shares of non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock (the "Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock") of Farmer Mac's subsidiary, Farmer Mac II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. The Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock had a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. On May 14, 2014, Farmer Mac purchased $6.0 million of FALConS from certain holders. On March 30, 2015, Farmer Mac II LLC redeemed all of the outstanding shares of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock which, in turn, triggered the redemption of all of the outstanding FALConS on that same day. Farmer Mac recognized an expense of $8.1 million in deferred issuance costs upon the retirement of the Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock. Equity-Based Incentive Compensation Plans Farmer Mac's 2008 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan authorizes the grants of restricted stock, stock options, and SARs, among other alternative forms of equity-based compensation, to directors, officers and other employees. SARs awarded to officers and employees vest annually in thirds. Farmer Mac has not granted SARs to directors since 2008. If not exercised or terminated earlier due to the termination of employment or service on the Board, SARs granted to officers or employees expire after 10 years . For all SARs granted, the exercise price is equal to the closing price of the Class C non-voting common stock on the date of grant. SARs granted during 2015 have exercise prices ranging from $28.17 to $32.39 per share, SARs granted during 2014 have exercise prices ranging from $29.37 to $35.60 per share, and SARs granted during 2013 have exercise prices ranging from $30.20 to $37.17 per share. During 2015, 2014, and 2013, restricted stock awards were granted to directors with a vesting period of one year, to officers vesting in three years provided certain performance targets are met, and to officers and employees vesting annually in thirds. The following tables summarize stock options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock activity for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 9.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Stock Weighted- Stock Weighted- Stock Weighted- Outstanding, beginning of year 718,143 $ 25.12 664,245 $ 23.78 788,748 $ 20.89 Granted 119,110 32.25 87,600 34.92 94,017 31.24 Exercised (86,680 ) 21.32 (23,035 ) 20.83 (208,877 ) 16.24 Canceled (3,000 ) 30.05 (10,667 ) 31.16 (9,643 ) 23.02 Outstanding, end of year 747,573 26.68 718,143 25.12 664,245 23.78 Exercisable at end of year 543,698 24.34 548,180 23.12 483,216 22.83 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Non-vested Weighted- Non-vested Weighted- Non-vested Weighted- Outstanding, beginning of year 103,772 $ 31.24 98,285 $ 27.66 91,311 $ 18.75 Granted 76,616 32.14 57,590 33.88 73,985 30.27 Canceled — — (8,360 ) 21.72 (1,000 ) 31.42 Vested and issued (47,737 ) 30.25 (43,743 ) 28.48 (66,011 ) 18.21 Outstanding, end of year 132,651 32.12 103,772 31.24 98,285 27.66 The cancellations of stock options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock during 2015, 2014, and 2013 were due either to unvested awards terminating in accordance with the provisions of the applicable stock option plans upon directors' or employees' departures from Farmer Mac or failure to meet specified performance goals, or vested awards terminating unexercised on their expiration date. Farmer Mac receives cash when stock options are exercised. Cash is not received from exercises of SARs or the vesting and issuance of restricted stock. Farmer Mac received $1.7 million from the exercise of stock options during 2015, $0.2 million during 2014, and $1.9 million during 2013. During 2015, 2014, and 2013, the reduction of income taxes payable as a result of the deduction for the exercise of stock options and SARs and the vesting or accelerated tax elections of restricted stock was $0.8 million , $0.6 million , and $2.1 million , respectively. During 2015 , Farmer Mac recorded a net increase to additional paid-in capital of $1.0 million related to stock-based compensation awards. During 2014, Farmer Mac recorded a net decrease to additional paid-in capital of $41,000 related to stock-based compensation awards. During 2013, Farmer Mac recorded a net increase to additional paid-in capital of $1.1 million related to stock-based compensation awards. Farmer Mac has a policy that permits directors of Farmer Mac to elect to receive shares of Class C non-voting common stock in lieu of cash retainers. During 2015, Farmer Mac issued 491 shares of Class C non-voting common stock with a fair value of $14,000 to the 4 directors who made that election. During 2014, Farmer Mac issued 604 shares of Class C non-voting common stock with a fair value of $20,000 to the 5 directors who made that election. During 2013, Farmer Mac issued 842 shares of Class C non-voting common stock with a fair value of $26,000 to the 7 directors who made that election. The following tables summarize information regarding stock options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock outstanding as of December 31, 2015: Table 9.2 Outstanding Exercisable Vested or Expected to Vest Range of Stock Options and SARs Weighted- Stock Options and SARs Weighted- Stock Options and SARs Weighted- $5.00 - $9.99 18,666 3.3 years 18,666 3.3 years 18,666 3.3 years 10.00 - 14.99 66,665 4.4 years 66,665 4.4 years 66,665 4.4 years 15.00 - 19.99 62,000 5.4 years 62,000 5.4 years 62,000 5.4 years 20.00 - 24.99 100,500 5.1 years 100,500 5.1 years 100,500 5.1 years 25.00 - 29.99 191,009 1.9 years 187,009 1.7 years 190,809 1.9 years 30.00 - 34.99 250,733 7.8 years 90,864 6.1 years 241,931 7.8 years 35.00 - 39.99 58,000 8.2 years 17,994 8.3 years 56,280 8.2 years 747,573 543,698 736,851 Outstanding Expected to Vest Weighted- Non-vested Restricted Stock Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Non-vested Restricted Stock Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual $25.00 - $29.99 6,778 2.1 years 6,439 2.1 years 30.00 - 34.99 124,324 1.2 years 117,990 1.2 years 35.00 - 39.99 1,549 1.2 years 1,487 1.2 years 132,651 125,916 The weighted average exercise price of the 736,851 options and SARs vested or expected to vest as of December 31, 2015 was $26.59 . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the intrinsic value of options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock outstanding, exercisable, and vested or expected to vest was $8.1 million and $7.2 million , respectively. During 2015, 2014, and 2013, the total intrinsic value of options and SARs exercised was $0.9 million , $0.3 million , and $3.8 million , respectively. As of December 31, 2015, there was $3.2 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock options, SARs, and restricted stock awards. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.7 years . The weighted-average grant date fair values of options, SARs, and restricted stock awards granted in 2015, 2014, and 2013 were $17.97 , $21.11 , and $23.12 per share, respectively. Under the fair value-based method of accounting for stock-based compensation cost, Farmer Mac recognized compensation expense of $3.3 million , $2.9 million , and $3.0 million during 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. The fair values of stock options and SARs were estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model based on the following assumptions: Table 9.3 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Risk-free interest rate 1.2% 1.5% 0.6% Expected years until exercise 4 years 4 years 4 years Expected stock volatility 38.0% 49.7% 83.4% Dividend yield 2.0% 1.6% 1.5% The risk-free interest rates used in the model were based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the grant date. Farmer Mac used historical data to estimate the timing of option exercises and stock option cancellation rates used in the model. Expected volatilities were based on historical volatility of Farmer Mac's Class C non-voting common stock. The dividend yields were based on the expected dividends as a percentage of the value of Farmer Mac's Class C non-voting common stock on the grant date. Because restricted stock awards will be issued upon vesting regardless of the stock price, expected stock volatility is not considered in determining grant date fair value. Restricted stock awards also accrue dividends which are paid at vesting. The weighted-average grant date fair value of the restricted stock awarded in 2015, 2014, and 2013 was $32.14 , $33.88 , and $30.27 per share, respectively, which is based on the closing price of the stock on the date granted. Capital Requirements Farmer Mac is subject to the following capital requirements: • Statutory minimum capital requirement – Farmer Mac's statutory minimum capital level is an amount of core capital (stockholders' equity less accumulated other comprehensive income) equal to the sum of 2.75 percent of Farmer Mac's aggregate on-balance sheet assets, as calculated for regulatory purposes, plus 0.75 percent of the aggregate off-balance sheet obligations of Farmer Mac, specifically including: ◦ the unpaid principal balance of outstanding Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities; ◦ instruments issued or guaranteed by Farmer Mac that are substantially equivalent to Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, including LTSPCs; and ◦ other off-balance sheet obligations of Farmer Mac. • Statutory critical capital requirement – Farmer Mac's critical capital level is an amount of core capital equal to 50 percent of the total minimum capital requirement at that time. • Risk-based capital requirement – Farmer Mac's charter directs FCA to establish a risk-based capital stress test for Farmer Mac, using specified stress-test parameters. Farmer Mac is required to comply with the higher of the minimum capital requirement and the risk-based capital requirement. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the minimum capital requirement was greater than the risk-based capital requirement. Farmer Mac's ability to declare and pay dividends could be restricted if it fails to comply with applicable capital requirements. As of December 31, 2015 , Farmer Mac's minimum capital requirement was $462.1 million and its actual core capital level was $564.5 million , which was $102.4 million above the minimum capital requirement as of that date. As of December 31, 2014 , Farmer Mac's minimum capital requirement was $421.3 million and its actual core capital level was $766.3 million , which was $345.0 million above the minimum capital requirement as of that date. In accordance with FCA's rule on Farmer Mac's capital planning, and as part of Farmer Mac's capital plan, Farmer Mac has adopted a policy for maintaining a sufficient level of Tier 1 capital (consisting of retained earnings, paid-in-capital, common stock, qualifying preferred stock, and accumulated other comprehensive income allocable to investments not included in one of the four operating lines of business) and imposing restrictions on Tier 1-eligible dividends and any discretionary bonus payments in the event that this capital falls below specified thresholds.

Income Taxes - INCOME TAXES

Income Taxes - INCOME TAXES	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]	INCOME TAXES Farmer Mac is subject to federal income taxes but is exempt from state and local income taxes. The components of the federal income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 were as follows: Table 10.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Current income tax expense $ 30,247 $ 9,803 $ 27,082 Deferred income tax (benefit)/expense 3,992 (6,979 ) 6,670 Income tax expense $ 34,239 $ 2,824 $ 33,752 A reconciliation of tax at the statutory federal tax rate to the income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 is as follows: Table 10.2 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (dollars in thousands) Tax expense at statutory rate $ 37,827 $ 25,587 $ 45,943 Non-taxable dividend income — (1,587 ) (2,116 ) Income from non-controlling interest (1,874 ) (7,766 ) (7,766 ) Loss on retirement of preferred stock (1,901 ) — — Valuation allowance 33 (13,542 ) (2,693 ) Other 154 132 384 Income tax expense $ 34,239 $ 2,824 $ 33,752 Statutory tax rate 35.0 % 35.0 % 35.0 % The components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows: Table 10.3 As of December 31, 2015 2014 (in thousands) Deferred tax assets: Basis differences related to financial derivatives $ 28,395 $ 30,921 Basis differences related to securities 2,866 4,218 Unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities 5,660 — Allowance for losses 2,297 3,545 Stock-based compensation 2,833 2,443 Capital loss carryforwards and other than temporary impairment 2,099 2,105 Valuation allowance (2,099 ) (2,105 ) Other 1,444 1,205 Total deferred tax assets 43,495 42,332 Deferred tax liability: Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities — 8,448 Basis difference in subsidiary 300 195 Other 279 298 Total deferred tax liability 579 8,941 Net deferred tax asset $ 42,916 $ 33,391 A valuation allowance is required to reduce a deferred tax asset to an amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Future realization of the tax benefit from a deferred tax asset depends on the existence of sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character. After the evaluation of both positive and negative objective evidence regarding the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be realized, Farmer Mac established a valuation allowance of $2.1 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, which was attributable to capital loss carryforwards on investment securities. Farmer Mac did not establish a valuation allowance for the remainder of its deferred tax assets because it believes it is more likely than not that those deferred tax assets will be realized. In determining its deferred tax asset valuation allowance, Farmer Mac considered its taxable income of the appropriate character (for example, ordinary income or capital gain) within the carryback and carryforward periods available under the tax law and the impact of possible tax planning strategies. During 2014, Farmer Mac reduced its deferred tax valuation allowance by $13.5 million upon utilizing capital loss carryforwards. In addition, $0.1 million and $63.7 million of capital loss carryforwards expired on December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and Farmer Mac removed $39,000 and $22.3 million , respectively, of corresponding deferred tax assets and the related deferred tax asset valuation allowance. Deferred tax assets are measured at rates in effect when they arise. To the extent rates change, the deferred tax asset will be adjusted to reflect the new rate. A reduction in corporate tax rates would result in a reduction in the value of the deferred tax asset. As of December 31, 2015, the amount of capital loss carryforwards was $5.9 million . These capital loss carryforwards will expire in 2016 . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Farmer Mac did not identify any uncertain tax positions. The following table presents the changes in unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 10.4 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Beginning balance $ — $ 1,148 $ 1,046 Decreases based on tax positions related to prior years — (1,148 ) — Increases based on tax positions related to current year — — 102 Ending balance $ — $ — $ 1,148 The resolution of the unrecognized tax benefits presented above represented temporary differences and, therefore, would not result in a change to Farmer Mac's effective tax rate. As of December 31, 2013, accrued interest payable and the associated interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits was immaterial and was presented as a component of income taxes. Farmer Mac does not expect to be subject to, and has not recorded tax penalties. During 2014, the IRS examined Farmer Mac's uncertain tax positions reported in its 2011 tax return; as a result of the examination, Farmer Mac concluded it does not currently have any uncertain tax positions. Tax years 2013 through 2015 remain subject to examination.

Employee Benefits - EMPLOYEE B

Employee Benefits - EMPLOYEE BENEFITS	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]	EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Farmer Mac makes contributions to a defined contribution retirement plan for all of its employees. Farmer Mac contributed 13.2 percent of the lesser of an employee's gross salary and the maximum compensation permitted under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 ("EGTRRA") ( $265,000 for 2015, $260,000 for 2014, and $255,000 for 2013), plus 5.7 percent of the difference between: (1) the lesser of the gross salary and the amount established under EGTRRA; and (2) the Social Security Taxable Wage Base. Employees are fully vested after having been employed for approximately 3 years . Expense for this plan for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 was $1.2 million , $1.2 million , and $1.1 million , respectively.

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees an

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments Disclosure	OFF-BALANCE SHEET GUARANTEES AND LONG-TERM STANDBY PURCHASE COMMITMENTS Farmer Mac offers two credit enhancement alternatives to direct loan purchases that allow approved lenders the ability to retain the cash flow benefits of their loans and increase their liquidity and lending capacity: (1) Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, which are available through the Farm & Ranch, the USDA Guarantees, or the Rural Utilities lines of business, and (2) LTSPCs, which are available through the Farm & Ranch or the Rural Utilities lines of business. Farmer Mac records, at the inception of a guarantee, a liability for the fair value of its obligation to stand ready to perform under the terms of each guarantee and an asset that is equal to the fair value of the fees that will be received over the life of each guarantee. The fair values of the guarantee obligation and asset at inception are based on the present value of expected cash flows using management's best estimate of certain key assumptions, which include prepayment speeds, forward yield curves, and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved. Because the cash flows of these instruments may be interest rate path dependent, these values and projected discount rates are derived using a Monte Carlo simulation model. The guarantee obligation and corresponding asset are subsequently amortized into guarantee and commitment fee income in relation to the decline in the unpaid principal balance on the underlying agricultural real estate mortgage and rural utilities loans. The contractual terms of Farmer Mac's guarantees range from less than 1 year to 30 years . However, the actual term of each guarantee may be significantly less than the contractual term based on the prepayment characteristics of the related agricultural real estate mortgage loans. Farmer Mac's maximum potential exposure under these guarantees is comprised of the unpaid principal balance of the underlying agricultural real estate mortgage loans. Guarantees issued or modified on or after January 1, 2003 are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets. Farmer Mac's maximum potential exposure was $4.5 billion and $3.8 billion as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Farmer Mac's maximum potential exposure for guarantees issued prior to January 1, 2003, which are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheets, was $56.2 million and $70.6 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The maximum exposure from these guarantees is not representative of the actual loss Farmer Mac is likely to incur, based on historical loss experience. In the event Farmer Mac was required to make payments under its guarantees, Farmer Mac would have the right to enforce the terms of the loans, and in the event of default, would have access to the underlying collateral. For information on Farmer Mac's methodology for determining the reserve for losses for its financial guarantees, see Note 2(j) and Note 8. The following table presents changes in Farmer Mac's guarantee and commitment obligations in the consolidated balance sheets for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 12.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Beginning balance, January 1 $ 37,925 $ 39,667 $ 37,803 Additions to the guarantee and commitment obligation (1) 8,207 4,966 8,414 Amortization of the guarantee and commitment obligation (7,523 ) (6,708 ) (6,550 ) Ending balance, December 31 $ 38,609 $ 37,925 $ 39,667 (1) Represents the fair value of the guarantee and commitment obligation at inception. Off-Balance Sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities Agricultural real estate mortgage loans, rural utilities loans, and other related assets may be placed into trusts that are used as vehicles for the securitization of the transferred assets and the Farmer Mac-guaranteed beneficial interests in the trusts are sold to investors. Farmer Mac is obligated under its guarantee to ensure that the investors receive timely payments of principal and interest based on the underlying loans, regardless of whether the trust has actually received such scheduled loan payments. As consideration for Farmer Mac's assumption of the credit risk on these securities, Farmer Mac receives guarantee fees that are recognized as earned on an accrual basis over the life of the loans and based upon the outstanding balance of the Farmer Mac Guaranteed Security. Farmer Mac is required to perform under its obligation when the underlying loans for the off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities do not make their scheduled installment payments. When a loan underlying a Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Security becomes 90 days or more past due, Farmer Mac may, in its sole discretion, repurchase the loan from the trust and generally does repurchase such loans, thereby reducing the principal balance of the outstanding Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Security. The following table presents the maximum principal amount of potential undiscounted future payments that Farmer Mac could be required to make under all off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , not including offsets provided by any recourse provisions, recoveries from third parties, or collateral for the underlying loans: Table 12.2 Outstanding Balance of Off-Balance Sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 (in thousands) Farm & Ranch: Guaranteed Securities $ 514,051 $ 636,086 USDA Guarantees: Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 10,272 13,978 Institutional Credit: AgVantage Securities 984,871 986,528 Revolving floating rate AgVantage facility (1) 300,000 — Total off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities $ 1,809,194 $ 1,636,592 (1) Relates to a revolving floating rate AgVantage facility subject to specified contractual terms. Farmer Mac receives a fixed fee based on the full dollar amount of the facility. If Farmer Mac repurchases a loan that is collateral for a Farmer Mac Guaranteed Security, Farmer Mac would have the right to enforce the terms of the loan, and in the event of a default, would have access to the underlying collateral. Farmer Mac typically recovers its investment in the defaulted loans purchased either through borrower payments, loan payoffs, payments by third parties, or foreclosure and sale of the property securing the loans. Farmer Mac has recourse to the USDA for any amounts advanced for the timely payment of principal and interest on Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities. That recourse is the USDA guarantee, a full faith and credit obligation of the United States that becomes enforceable if a lender fails to repurchase the USDA-guaranteed portion from its owner within 30 days after written demand from the owner when (a) the borrower under the guaranteed loan is in default not less than 60 days in the payment of any principal or interest due on the USDA-guaranteed portion, or (b) the lender has failed to remit to the owner the payment made by the borrower on the USDA-guaranteed portion or any related loan subsidy within 30 days after the lender's receipt of the payment. Eligible loans and other eligible assets may be placed into trusts that are used as vehicles for the securitization of the transferred assets and the Farmer Mac-guaranteed beneficial interests in the trusts are sold to investors. The following table summarizes the significant cash flows received from and paid to trusts used for Farmer Mac securitizations: Table 12.3 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Proceeds from new securitizations $ 336,913 $ 175,754 $ 150,417 Guarantee fees received 4,028 4,612 5,182 Purchases of assets from the trusts (3,407 ) — (6,667 ) Farmer Mac has recorded a liability for its obligation to stand ready under the guarantee in the guarantee and commitment obligation on the consolidated balance sheets. This liability approximated $8.3 million as of December 31, 2015 and $11.1 million as of December 31, 2014 . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the weighted-average remaining maturity of all loans underlying off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, excluding AgVantage securities, was 11.3 years and 12.0 years , respectively. As of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 , the weighted-average remaining maturity of the off-balance sheet AgVantage securities was 1.7 years and 2.4 years , respectively. Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments An LTSPC is a commitment by Farmer Mac to purchase eligible loans from an identified pool of loans under specified circumstances set forth in the applicable agreement, either for cash or in exchange for Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, on one or more undetermined future dates. As consideration for its assumption of the credit risk on loans underlying an LTSPC, Farmer Mac receives a commitment fee payable monthly in arrears in an amount approximating what would have been the guarantee fee if the transaction were structured as a swap for Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities. An LTSPC permits a lender to nominate from its portfolio an identified pool of loans for participation in the Farm & Ranch or the Rural Utilities line of business, which are retained in the lender's portfolio and serviced by the lender. Farmer Mac reviews the loan pool to confirm that it conforms to Farmer Mac's underwriting standards. Upon Farmer Mac's approval of the eligible loans, the lender effectively transfers the credit risk on those loans to Farmer Mac, thereby reducing the lender's credit and concentration risk exposures and, consequently, its regulatory capital requirements and its loss reserve requirements. Credit risk is transferred through Farmer Mac's commitment to purchase the identified loans from the counterparty based on Farmer Mac's original credit review and acceptance of the credit risk on the loans. The specific events or circumstances that would require Farmer Mac to purchase some or all of the loans subject to LTSPCs include: (1) the failure of the borrower under any loan to make installment payments under that loan for a period of either 90 days or 120 days (depending on the provisions of the applicable agreement); or (2) the determination by the holder of the LTSPC to sell or exchange some or all of the loans under the LTSPC to Farmer Mac. Farmer Mac purchases loans subject to an LTSPC at: • par if the loans become delinquent for either 90 days or 120 days (depending on the agreement) or are in material non-monetary default, with accrued and unpaid interest on the defaulted loans payable out of any future loan payments or liquidation proceeds; or • fair value or in exchange for Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities (in the Farm & Ranch line of business, if the loans are not delinquent), in accordance with the terms of the applicable agreement. The maximum principal amount of potential undiscounted future payments that Farmer Mac could be requested to make under all LTSPCs, not including offsets provided by any recourse provisions, recoveries from third parties, or collateral for the underlying loans, was $2.8 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $2.2 billion as of December 31, 2014 . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the weighted-average remaining maturity of all loans underlying LTSPCs was 14.6 years and 14.3 years , respectively. For those LTSPCs issued or modified on or after January 1, 2003, Farmer Mac has recorded a liability for its obligation to stand ready under the commitment in the guarantee and commitment obligation on the consolidated balance sheets. This liability approximated $30.3 million as of December 31, 2015 and $26.8 million as of December 31, 2014 . Commitments Farmer Mac enters into mandatory and optional delivery commitments to purchase loans. Most loan purchase commitments entered into by Farmer Mac are mandatory commitments, in which Farmer Mac charges a fee to extend or cancel the commitment. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, commitments to purchase Farm & Ranch loans and USDA Guarantees totaled $60.9 million and $29.7 million , respectively, all of which were mandatory commitments. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, commitments to purchase Rural Utilities loans totaled $4.0 million . Any optional loan purchase commitments are sold forward under optional commitments to deliver Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities that may be canceled by Farmer Mac without penalty. Rental expense for Farmer Mac's office space for each of the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 was $1.3 million . The future minimum lease payments under Farmer Mac's non-cancellable leases for its office space and other contractual obligations as of December 31, 2015 are as follows: Table 12.4 Future Minimum Lease Payments Other Contractual Obligations (in thousands) 2016 $ 1,392 $ 996 2017 1,412 356 2018 1,388 — 2019 1,389 — 2020 1,423 — Thereafter 5,527 — Total $ 12,531 $ 1,352 Other contractual obligations in the table above include minimum amounts due under non-cancellable agreements to purchase goods or services that are enforceable and legally binding and specify all significant terms. These agreements include, among others, agreements for the provision of consulting services, information technology support, equipment maintenance, and financial analysis software and services. The amounts actually paid under these agreements will likely be higher due to the variable components of some of these agreements under which the ultimate obligation owed is determined by reference to actual usage or hours worked.

Fair Value Disclosures

Fair Value Disclosures	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Disclosure	FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES Fair Value Measurement Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (also referred to as an exit price). In determining fair value, Farmer Mac uses various valuation approaches, including market and income based approaches. The fair value hierarchy requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. When available, the fair value of Farmer Mac's financial instruments is based on quoted market prices, valuation techniques that use observable market-based inputs, or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data. Pricing information obtained from third parties is internally validated for reasonableness prior to use in the consolidated financial statements. Farmer Mac's accounting policies for fair value measurement are discussed in Note 2(p). Fair value measurements related to financial instruments that are reported at fair value in the consolidated financial statements each period are referred to as recurring fair value measurements. Fair value measurements related to financial instruments that are not reported at fair value each period but are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances are referred to as nonrecurring fair value measurements. Fair Value Classification and Transfers The fair value hierarchy ranks the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. The hierarchy gives highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. The following three levels are used to classify fair value measurements: Level 1 Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities. Level 2 Quoted prices in markets that are not active or financial instruments for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 Prices or valuations that require unobservable inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement. Farmer Mac performs a detailed analysis of the assets and liabilities carried at fair value to determine the appropriate level based on the transparency of the inputs used in the valuation techniques. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an instrument's level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Farmer Mac's assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement of an instrument requires judgment and consideration of factors specific to the instrument. While Farmer Mac believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with those of other market participants, using different methodologies or assumptions to determine fair value could result in a materially different estimate of fair value for some financial instruments. The following is a description of the fair value techniques used for instruments measured at fair value as well as the general classification of such instruments pursuant to the valuation hierarchy described above. Fair value measurements related to financial instruments that are reported at fair value in the consolidated financial statements each period are referred to as recurring fair value measurements. Fair value measurements related to financial instruments that are not reported at fair value each period but are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances are referred to as nonrecurring fair value measurements. Recurring Fair Value Measurements and Classification Available-for-Sale and Trading Investment Securities The fair value of investments in U.S. Treasuries is based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets. Farmer Mac classifies these fair value measurements as level 1. For a significant portion of Farmer Mac's investment portfolio, including most asset-backed securities, corporate debt securities, senior agency debt securities, Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities, municipal bonds, and preferred stock issued by GSEs, fair value is primarily determined using a reputable and nationally recognized third party pricing service. The prices obtained are non-binding and generally representative of recent market trades. The fair value of certain asset-backed and Government guaranteed mortgage-backed securities are estimated based on quotations from brokers or dealers. Farmer Mac corroborates its primary valuation source by obtaining a secondary price from another independent third party pricing service. Farmer Mac classifies these fair value measurements as level 2. For certain investment securities that are thinly traded or not quoted, Farmer Mac estimates fair value using internally-developed models that employ a discounted cash flow approach. Farmer Mac maximizes the use of observable market data, including prices of financial instruments with similar maturities and characteristics, interest rate yield curves, measures of volatility and prepayment rates. Farmer Mac generally considers a market to be thinly traded or not quoted if the following conditions exist: (1) there are few transactions for the financial instruments; (2) the prices in the market are not current; (3) the price quotes vary significantly either over time or among independent pricing services or dealers; or (4) there is limited availability of public market information. Farmer Mac classifies these fair value measurements as level 3. Farmer Mac's investment securities include callable, highly rated auction-rate certificates ("ARCs"), the interest rates on which are reset through an auction process, most commonly at intervals of 28 days, or at formula-based floating rates as set forth in the related transaction documents in the event of a failed auction. These formula-based floating rates, which may at times reset to zero, are intended to preserve the underlying principal balance of the securities and avoid overall cash shortfalls. Accordingly, payments of accrued interest may also be delayed and are ultimately subject to cash availability. Beginning in mid-February 2008, there were widespread failures of the auction mechanism designed to provide regular liquidity to these types of securities. Consequently, Farmer Mac has not sold any of its ARCs into the auctions since that time. All ARCs held by Farmer Mac are collateralized entirely by pools of Federal Family Education Loan Program guaranteed student loans that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Farmer Mac continues to believe that the credit quality of these securities is high, based on the underlying collateralization and the securities' ratings. To date, Farmer Mac has received all interest due on ARCs it holds and expects to continue to do so. Farmer Mac classifies its estimates of fair value for ARCs as level 3 measurements. Farmer Mac uses unadjusted quotes from a broker specializing in these types of securities to determine the estimated fair value of these investments as of each quarter end. Through periodic discussions with the broker, Farmer Mac gained an understanding of the assumptions underlying the broker quotes and independently benchmarked those quotes against other dealer price indications. Farmer Mac believes the broker quotes are the best indication of fair value as of the measurement date although there is uncertainty regarding the ability to transact at such levels. Considering there is no active secondary market for these securities, although limited observable transactions do occasionally occur, price quotes vary significantly among dealers or independent pricing services, if provided at all, and there is little transparency in the price determination, Farmer Mac believes these measurements are appropriately classified as level 3. Available-for-Sale and Trading Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities Farmer Mac estimates the fair value of its Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities by discounting the projected cash flows of these instruments at projected interest rates. The fair values are based on the present value of expected cash flows using management's best estimate of certain key assumptions, which include prepayment speeds, forward yield curves, and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved. Farmer Mac classifies these fair value measurements as level 3 because there is limited market activity and therefore little or no price transparency. On a sample basis, Farmer Mac corroborates the fair value of its Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities by obtaining a secondary valuation from an independent third party service. Financial Derivatives The fair value of exchange-traded U.S. Treasury futures is based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical financial instruments. Farmer Mac classifies these fair value measurements as level 1. Farmer Mac's derivative portfolio consists primarily of interest rate swaps and forward sales contracts on the debt of other GSEs. Farmer Mac estimates the fair value of these financial instruments primarily based upon the counterparty valuations. Farmer Mac internally values its derivative portfolio using a discounted cash flow valuation technique and obtains a secondary valuation for certain interest rate swaps to corroborate the counterparty valuations. Farmer Mac also regularly reviews the counterparty valuations as part of the collateral exchange process. Farmer Mac classifies these fair value measurements as level 2. Certain basis swaps are nonstandard interest rate swap structures and are therefore internally modeled using significant assumptions and unobservable inputs, resulting in level 3 classification. Farmer Mac uses a discounted cash flow valuation technique, using management's best estimate of certain key assumptions, which include prepayment speeds, forward yield curves, and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the consideration of Farmer Mac's and the counterparties' credit risk resulted in an adjustment of $0.2 million to the valuations of Farmer Mac's derivative portfolio. See Note 2(h) and Note 6 for more information about Farmer Mac's derivative portfolio. Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements and Classification Loans Held for Investment Certain loans in Farmer Mac's held for investment loan portfolio are measured at fair value when they are determined to be impaired. For these impaired loans, the fair value of the loan generally is based on the fair value of the underlying property, which is determined by recent third-party appraisals. Farmer Mac uses net realizable value (fair value less estimated costs to sell) as a reasonable estimate of fair value and classifies the fair values as level 3 measurements in the tables below. When recent third-party appraisals are not available, Farmer Mac measures loan impairment in the aggregate in consideration of the similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics, and does not include these impaired loans in the tables below. Real Estate Owned Farmer Mac initially records REO properties at net realizable value and subsequently records them at the lower of carrying value or net realizable value. The fair value of the REO generally is based on third-party appraisals. Farmer Mac classifies the REO fair values as level 3 measurements. Farmer Mac uses net realizable value as a reasonable estimate of fair value in the tables below. Fair Value Classification and Transfers As of December 31, 2015 , Farmer Mac's assets and liabilities recorded at fair value included financial instruments valued at $6.1 billion whose fair values were estimated by management in the absence of readily determinable fair values (i.e., level 3). These financial instruments measured as level 3 represented 39 percent of total assets and 69 percent of financial instruments measured at fair value as of December 31, 2015 . As of December 31, 2014 , Farmer Mac's assets and liabilities recorded at fair value included financial instruments valued at $5.5 billion whose fair values were estimated by management in the absence of readily determinable fair values. These financial instruments measured as level 3 represented 38 percent of total assets and 73 percent of financial instruments measured at fair value as of December 31, 2014 . Net transfers in and/or out of the different levels within the fair value hierarchy are based on the fair values of the assets and liabilities as of the beginning of the reporting period. There were no transfers within the fair value hierarchy for fair value measurements of Farmer Mac's investment securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, USDA Securities, and financial derivatives during 2015, 2014, and 2013. See Note 2(b) for information about the transfer of available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities to held-to-maturity as of January 1, 2014. The following tables present information about Farmer Mac's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring and nonrecurring basis as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, and indicate the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques used by Farmer Mac to determine such fair value: Table 13.1 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value as of December 31, 2015 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 44,924 $ 44,924 Floating rate asset-backed securities — 73,729 — 73,729 Floating rate corporate debt securities — 9,991 — 9,991 Fixed rate corporate debt securities — 9,994 — 9,994 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 1,355,459 — 1,355,459 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 7,904 — 7,904 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — 66,249 — 66,249 Fixed rate senior agency debt — 213,987 — 213,987 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 992,788 — — 992,788 Total available-for-sale 992,788 1,737,313 44,924 2,775,025 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities — — 491 491 Total trading — — 491 491 Total Investment Securities 992,788 1,737,313 45,415 2,775,516 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage — — 4,121,244 4,121,244 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities — — 31,361 31,361 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities — — 4,152,605 4,152,605 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale — — 1,888,344 1,888,344 Trading — — 28,975 28,975 Total USDA Securities — — 1,917,319 1,917,319 Financial derivatives 19 3,797 — 3,816 Total Assets at fair value $ 992,807 $ 1,741,110 $ 6,115,339 $ 8,849,256 Liabilities: Financial derivatives $ — $ 77,199 $ — $ 77,199 Total Liabilities at fair value $ — $ 77,199 $ — $ 77,199 Nonrecurring: Assets: Loans held for investment $ — $ — $ 11,443 $ 11,443 REO — — 388 388 Total Nonrecurring Assets at fair value $ — $ — $ 11,831 $ 11,831 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value as of December 31, 2014 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 40,576 $ 40,576 Floating rate asset-backed securities — 100,902 — 100,902 Floating rate corporate debt securities — 10,091 — 10,091 Fixed rate corporate debt — 30,025 — 30,025 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 612,753 — 612,753 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 8,202 — 8,202 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — 66,320 — 66,320 Fixed rate senior agency debt — 18,939 — 18,939 Floating rate U.S. Treasuries 74,979 — — 74,979 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 975,712 — — 975,712 Total available-for-sale 1,050,691 847,232 40,576 1,938,499 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities — — 689 689 Total trading — — 689 689 Total Investment Securities 1,050,691 847,232 41,265 1,939,188 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage — — 3,631,662 3,631,662 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities — — 27,619 27,619 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities — — 3,659,281 3,659,281 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale — — 1,731,222 1,731,222 Trading — — 40,310 40,310 Total USDA Guaranteed Securities — — 1,771,532 1,771,532 Financial derivatives — 4,177 — 4,177 Total Assets at fair value $ 1,050,691 $ 851,409 $ 5,472,078 $ 7,374,178 Liabilities: Financial derivatives $ 3 $ 84,841 $ — $ 84,844 Total Liabilities at fair value $ 3 $ 84,841 $ — $ 84,844 Nonrecurring: Assets: Loans held for investment $ — $ — $ 5,973 $ 5,973 Total Nonrecurring Assets at fair value $ — $ — $ 5,973 $ 5,973 The following tables present additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis for which Farmer Mac has used significant unobservable inputs to determine fair value. Net transfers in and/or out of level 3 are based on the fair values of the assets and liabilities as of the beginning of the reporting period. There were no liabilities measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs during the year ended December 31, 2015 . Table 13.2 Level 3 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value for the Year Ended December 31, 2015 Beginning Purchases Sales Settlements Realized and Unrealized Ending (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 40,576 $ — $ — $ — $ (100 ) $ 4,448 $ 44,924 Total available-for-sale 40,576 — — — (100 ) 4,448 44,924 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities (1) 689 — — (657 ) 459 — 491 Total trading 689 — — (657 ) 459 — 491 Total Investment Securities 41,265 — — (657 ) 359 4,448 45,415 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage 3,631,662 678,566 — (138,687 ) 3,090 (53,387 ) 4,121,244 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 27,619 13,314 — (9,482 ) — (90 ) 31,361 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 3,659,281 691,880 — (148,169 ) 3,090 (53,477 ) 4,152,605 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale 1,731,222 363,621 — (233,385 ) — 26,886 1,888,344 Trading (2) 40,310 — — (12,096 ) 761 — 28,975 Total USDA Securities 1,771,532 363,621 — (245,481 ) 761 26,886 1,917,319 Total Assets at fair value $ 5,472,078 $ 1,055,501 $ — $ (394,307 ) $ 4,210 $ (22,143 ) $ 6,115,339 (1) Unrealized gains are attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2015 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (2) Includes unrealized gains of $0.9 million attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2015 that are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." Level 3 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value for the Year Ended December 31, 2014 Beginning Purchases Sales Settlements Realized and Unrealized Transfers Out Ending (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 65,285 $ — $ (26,675 ) $ — $ (825 ) $ 2,791 $ — $ 40,576 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 205 — — (205 ) — — — — Total available-for-sale 65,490 — (26,675 ) (205 ) (825 ) 2,791 — 40,576 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities (1) 928 — — (685 ) 446 — — 689 Total trading 928 — — (685 ) 446 — — 689 Total Investment Securities 66,418 — (26,675 ) (890 ) (379 ) 2,791 — 41,265 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage (2) 5,070,366 1,091,475 — (922,908 ) 14,520 10,995 (1,632,786 ) 3,631,662 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 21,234 7,627 — (808 ) — (434 ) — 27,619 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 5,091,600 1,099,102 — (923,716 ) 14,520 10,561 (1,632,786 ) 3,659,281 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale 1,553,669 335,359 — (209,400 ) — 51,594 — 1,731,222 Trading (3) 58,344 — — (19,185 ) 1,151 — — 40,310 Total USDA Securities 1,612,013 335,359 — (228,585 ) 1,151 51,594 — 1,771,532 Total Assets at fair value $ 6,770,031 $ 1,434,461 $ (26,675 ) $ (1,153,191 ) $ 15,292 $ 64,946 $ (1,632,786 ) $ 5,472,078 Liabilities: Financial derivatives $ (235 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 235 $ — $ — $ — $ (235 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 235 $ — $ — $ — (1) Unrealized gains are attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2014 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (2) Includes $1.6 billion of AgVantage securities transferred from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity on January 1, 2014 and $20.7 million of AgVantage securities purchased during 2014 transferred from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity. (3) Includes unrealized gains of $1.8 million attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2014 that are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." Level 3 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value for the the Year Ended December 31, 2013 Beginning Purchases Sales Settlements Realized and Unrealized Ending (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 63,159 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 2,126 $ 65,285 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 233 — (24 ) — (4 ) 205 Total available-for-sale 63,159 233 — (24 ) — 2,122 65,490 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities (1) 1,247 — — (774 ) 455 — 928 Total trading 1,247 — — (774 ) 455 — 928 Total Investment Securities 64,406 233 — (798 ) 455 2,122 66,418 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage 4,739,577 1,273,500 — (844,437 ) (18,230 ) (80,044 ) 5,070,366 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 26,681 — — (5,214 ) — (233 ) 21,234 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 4,766,258 1,273,500 — (849,651 ) (18,230 ) (80,277 ) 5,091,600 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale 1,486,595 361,894 — (234,035 ) — (60,785 ) 1,553,669 Trading (2) 104,188 — — (44,570 ) (1,274 ) — 58,344 Total USDA Securities 1,590,783 361,894 — (278,605 ) (1,274 ) (60,785 ) 1,612,013 Total Assets at fair value $ 6,421,447 $ 1,635,627 $ — $ (1,129,054 ) $ (19,049 ) $ (138,940 ) $ 6,770,031 Liabilities: Financial derivatives (3) $ (691 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 456 $ — $ (235 ) Total Liabilities at fair value $ (691 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 456 $ — $ (235 ) (1) Unrealized gains are attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2013 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (2) Includes unrealized gains of $0.5 million attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2013 that are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (3) Unrealized gains are attributable to liabilities still held as of December 31, 2013 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities ." The following tables present additional information about the significant unobservable inputs, such as discount rates and constant prepayment rates ("CPR"), used in the fair value measurements categorized in level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 . Table 13.3 As of December 31, 2015 Financial Instruments Fair Value Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Range (Weighted-Average) (in thousands) Assets: Investment securities: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 44,924 Indicative bids Range of broker quotes 92.0% - 99.6% (96.6%) Floating rate asset-backed securities $ 491 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 18.3% - 23.9% (21.5%) CPR 10.0% Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: AgVantage $ 4,121,244 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.1% - 3.3% (1.8%) Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities $ 31,361 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.0% - 3.9% (1.8%) CPR 9% - 20% (10.0%) USDA Securities $ 1,917,319 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.3% - 5.1% (3.1%) CPR 0% - 19% (7.0%) As of December 31, 2014 Financial Instruments Fair Value Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Range (Weighted-Average) (in thousands) Assets: Investment securities: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 40,576 Indicative bids Range of broker quotes 82.0% - 94.0% (87.1%) Floating rate asset-backed securities $ 689 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 14.3% - 23.9% (19.1%) CPR 10.0% Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: AgVantage $ 3,631,662 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 0.7% - 2.7% (1.3%) Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities $ 27,619 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 0.8% - 3.6% (1.9%) CPR 0% - 21% (9.0%) USDA Securities $ 1,771,532 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.1% - 5.3% (3.2%) CPR 0% - 20% (8.0%) The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities are prepayment rates and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved. Typically, significant increases (decreases) in any of these inputs in isolation may result in materially lower (higher) fair value measurements. Generally, in a rising interest rate environment, Farmer Mac would expect average discount rates to increase and would likely expect a corresponding decrease in forecasted prepayment rates. Conversely, in a declining interest rate environment, Farmer Mac would expect average discount rates to decrease and would likely expect a corresponding increase in forecasted prepayment rates. Prepayment rates are not presented in the table above for AgVantage securities because they generally do not pay down principal based on amortization schedules but instead typically have fixed maturity dates when the secured general obligations are due. Disclosures on Fair Value of Financial Instruments The following table sets forth the estimated fair values and carrying values for financial assets, liabilities, and guarantees and commitments as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 13.4 As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Fair Value Carrying Fair Value Carrying (in thousands) Financial assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,210,084 $ 1,210,084 $ 1,363,387 $ 1,363,387 Investment securities 2,775,516 2,775,516 1,939,188 1,939,188 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 5,434,422 5,426,621 5,459,857 5,453,901 USDA Securities 1,917,319 1,917,319 1,771,532 1,771,532 Loans 4,027,660 3,962,044 3,547,424 3,520,075 Financial derivatives 3,816 3,816 4,177 4,177 Guarantee and commitment fees receivable: LTSPCs 31,953 31,240 29,095 27,807 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 8,872 8,949 11,876 11,655 Financial liabilities: Notes payable: Due within one year 9,108,468 9,111,461 7,357,770 7,353,953 Due after one year 5,009,310 4,967,036 5,556,570 5,471,186 Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties 713,316 713,536 423,085 424,214 Financial derivatives 77,199 77,199 84,844 84,844 Guarantee and commitment obligations: LTSPCs 31,015 30,301 28,130 26,843 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 8,230 8,308 11,303 11,082 The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents is a reasonable estimate of their approximate fair value and is classified as level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. Investment securities primarily are valued based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and are classified as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. Farmer Mac internally models the fair value of its loan portfolio, including loans held for sale, loans held for investment and loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities by discounting the projected cash flows of these instruments at projected interest rates. The fair values are based on the present value of expected cash flows using management's best estimate of certain key assumptions, which include prepayment speeds, forward yield curves and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved. These fair value measurements do not take into consideration the fair value of the underlying property and are classified as level 3 within the fair value hierarchy. Financial derivatives primarily are valued using unadjusted counterparty valuations and are classified as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of the guarantee fees receivable/obligation and debt securities of consolidated trusts are estimated based on the present value of expected future cash flows of the underlying mortgage assets using management's best estimate of certain key assumptions, which include prepayments speeds, forward yield curves, and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved and are classified as level 3 within the fair value hierarchy. Notes payable are valued by discounting the expected cash flows of these instruments using a yield curve derived from market prices observed for similar agency securities and are also classified as level 3 within the fair value hierarchy. Because the cash flows of Farmer Mac's financial instruments may be interest rate path dependent, estimated fair values and projected discount rates for level 3 financial instruments are derived using a Monte Carlo simulation model. Different market assumptions and estimation methodologies could significantly affect estimated fair value amounts.

Business Segment Reporting

Business Segment Reporting	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Business Segment Reporting Disclosure	BUSINESS SEGMENT REPORTING Farmer Mac's operations consist of four reportable operating segments – Farm & Ranch, USDA Guarantees, Rural Utilities, and Institutional Credit. The Institutional Credit segment comprises Farmer Mac's purchases and guarantees of AgVantage securities related to general obligations of lenders that are secured by pools of eligible loans. Farmer Mac uses these four segments to manage business risk, and each segment is based on distinct products and distinct business activities. In addition to these four operating segments, a corporate segment is presented. That segment represents activity in Farmer Mac's investment portfolio and other corporate activities. The operating segment financial results include directly attributable revenues and expenses. Corporate charges for administrative expenses that are not directly attributable to an operating segment are allocated based on headcount. Farmer Mac uses core earnings to measure corporate economic performance and develop financial plans because, in management's view, core earnings is a useful alternative measure in understanding Farmer Mac's economic performance, transaction economics, and business trends. Core earnings principally differs from net income attributable to common stockholders by excluding the effects of fair value fluctuations, which are not expected to have a cumulative net impact on financial condition or results of operations reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") if the related financial instruments are held to maturity, as is generally expected. Core earnings also differs from net income attributable to common stockholders by excluding specified infrequent or unusual transactions that Farmer Mac believes are not indicative of future operating results and that may not reflect the trends and economic financial performance of Farmer Mac's core business. This non-GAAP financial measure may not be comparable to similarly labeled non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by other companies. Farmer Mac's disclosure of this non-GAAP measure is intended to be supplemental in nature and is not meant to be considered in isolation from, as a substitute for, or as more important than, the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. The financial information presented below reflects the accounts of Farmer Mac and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. Accordingly, the core earnings for Farmer Mac's reportable operating segments will differ from the stand-alone financial statements of Farmer Mac's subsidiaries. These differences will be due to various factors, including the reversal of unrealized gains and losses related to fair value changes of trading assets and financial derivatives, as well as the allocation of certain expenses such as dividends and interest expense related to the issuance of capital and the incurrence of indebtedness managed at the corporate level. The allocation of general and administrative expenses that are not directly attributable to an operating segment may also result in differences. The following tables present core earnings for Farmer Mac's reportable operating segments and a reconciliation to consolidated net income for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 14.1 Core Earnings by Business Segment For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Utilities Institutional Credit Corporate Reconciling Consolidated Net Income (in thousands) Interest income (1) $ 90,578 $ 59,902 $ 26,819 $ 76,487 $ 13,338 $ (2,301 ) $ 264,823 Interest income related to consolidated trusts owned by third parties reclassified to guarantee fee income (3,078 ) — — — — 3,078 — Interest expense (2) (48,696 ) (42,063 ) (15,425 ) (33,032 ) (5,450 ) 5,650 (139,016 ) Net effective spread 38,804 17,839 11,394 43,455 7,888 6,427 125,807 Guarantee and commitment fees 15,076 17 397 1,665 — (3,078 ) 14,077 Other income/(expense) (3) 1,040 100 25 — (1,972 ) 6,871 6,064 Non-interest income/(loss) 16,116 117 422 1,665 (1,972 ) 3,793 20,141 Provision for loan losses (2,388 ) — — — — — (2,388 ) Release of Losses 2,180 — — — — — 2,180 Other non-interest expense (16,876 ) (3,449 ) (3,364 ) (2,109 ) (11,864 ) — (37,662 ) Non-interest expense (4) (14,696 ) (3,449 ) (3,364 ) (2,109 ) (11,864 ) — (35,482 ) Core earnings before income taxes 37,836 14,507 8,452 43,011 (5,948 ) 10,220 (5) 108,078 Income tax (expense)/benefit (13,188 ) (5,176 ) (2,947 ) (15,054 ) 3,803 (1,677 ) (34,239 ) Core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest 24,648 9,331 5,505 27,957 (2,145 ) 8,543 (5) 73,839 Preferred stock dividends — — — — (13,182 ) — (13,182 ) Non-controlling interest — — — — (5,139 ) — (5,139 ) Loss on retirement of preferred stock — — — — — (8,147 ) (8,147 ) Segment core earnings/(losses) $ 24,648 $ 9,331 $ 5,505 $ 27,957 $ (20,466 ) $ 396 (5) $ 47,371 Total assets at carrying value $ 3,041,386 $ 1,977,609 $ 1,019,279 $ 5,420,195 $ 4,081,885 $ — $ 15,540,354 Total on- and off-balance sheet program assets at principal balance 5,725,299 1,918,277 1,530,990 6,724,254 — 15,898,820 (1) Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts. (2) Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " on the consolidated financial statements. (3) Includes reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets. Also includes a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities. (4) Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount. (5) Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively. Core Earnings by Business Segment For the Year Ended December 31, 2014 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Institutional Credit Corporate Reconciling Adjustments Consolidated Net Income (in thousands) Interest income (1) $ 78,934 $ 54,955 $ 27,879 $ 77,512 $ 17,637 $ (15,850 ) $ 241,067 Interest income related to consolidated trusts owned by third parties reclassified to guarantee fee income (2,086 ) — — — — 2,086 — Interest expense (2) (45,025 ) (36,689 ) (17,138 ) (38,456 ) (3,830 ) (29,582 ) (170,720 ) Net effective spread 31,823 18,266 10,741 39,056 13,807 (43,346 ) 70,347 Guarantee and commitment fees 15,107 134 — 1,539 — (2,086 ) 14,694 Other income/(expense) (3) 762 63 9 — (4,913 ) 22,675 18,596 Non-interest income/(loss) 15,869 197 9 1,539 (4,913 ) 20,589 33,290 Release of allowance for loan losses 961 — — — — — 961 Release of reserve for losses 2,205 — — — — — 2,205 Other non-interest expense (15,180 ) (2,955 ) (3,130 ) (1,891 ) (10,541 ) — (33,697 ) Non-interest expense (4) (12,975 ) (2,955 ) (3,130 ) (1,891 ) (10,541 ) — (31,492 ) Core earnings before income taxes 35,678 15,508 7,620 38,704 (1,647 ) (22,757 ) (5) 73,106 Income tax (expense)/benefit (12,486 ) (5,430 ) (2,668 ) (13,548 ) 23,347 7,961 (2,824 ) Core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends 23,192 10,078 4,952 25,156 21,700 (14,796 ) (5) 70,282 Preferred stock dividends — — — — (9,839 ) — (9,839 ) Non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends — — — — (22,192 ) — (22,192 ) Segment core earnings/(losses) $ 23,192 $ 10,078 $ 4,952 $ 25,156 $ (10,331 ) $ (14,796 ) (5) $ 38,251 Total assets at carrying value $ 2,611,401 $ 1,825,210 $ 995,082 $ 5,459,296 $ 3,396,832 $ — $ 14,287,821 Total on- and off-balance sheet program assets at principal balance 5,417,174 1,798,034 985,609 6,396,941 — 14,597,758 (1) Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts and interest income related to securities purchased under agreements to resell. (2) Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " on the consolidated financial statements. Includes reconciling adjustments for interest expense related to securities sold, not yet purchased. (3) Includes interest income and interest expense related to securities purchased under agreements to resell and securities sold, not yet purchased, respectively; reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets; and a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities. (4) Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount. (5) Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively. Core Earnings by Business Segment For the Year Ended December 31, 2013 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Institutional Credit Corporate Reconciling Consolidated Net Income (in thousands) Interest income (1) $ 67,429 $ 53,384 $ 35,194 $ 89,199 $ 21,940 $ (20,417 ) $ 246,729 Interest income related to consolidated trusts owned by third parties reclassified to guarantee fee income (964 ) — — — — 964 — Interest expense (2) (32,062 ) (35,656 ) (23,601 ) (53,613 ) (4,668 ) 12,324 (137,276 ) Net effective spread 34,403 17,728 11,593 35,586 17,272 (7,129 ) 109,453 Guarantee and commitment fees 14,944 132 — 1,515 — (964 ) 15,627 Other income/(expense) (3) 2,244 791 — — 1,622 34,156 38,813 Non-interest income/(loss) 17,188 923 — 1,515 1,622 33,192 54,440 Release of allowance for loan losses 481 — — — — — 481 Provision for losses (929 ) — — — — — (929 ) Other non-interest expense (14,649 ) (2,904 ) (3,100 ) (1,774 ) (9,751 ) — (32,178 ) Non-interest expense (4) (15,578 ) (2,904 ) (3,100 ) (1,774 ) (9,751 ) — (33,107 ) Core earnings before income taxes 36,494 15,747 8,493 35,327 9,143 26,063 (5) 131,267 Income tax (expense)/benefit (12,773 ) (5,511 ) (2,973 ) (12,364 ) 8,991 (9,122 ) (33,752 ) Core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends 23,721 10,236 5,520 22,963 18,134 16,941 (5) 97,515 Preferred stock dividends — — — — (3,495 ) — (3,495 ) Non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends — — — — (22,187 ) — (22,187 ) Segment core earnings/(losses) $ 23,721 $ 10,236 $ 5,520 $ 22,963 $ (7,548 ) $ 16,941 (5) $ 71,833 Total assets at carrying value $ 2,190,224 $ 1,656,688 $ 1,076,298 $ 5,121,666 $ 3,316,904 $ — $ 13,361,780 Total on- and off-balance sheet program assets at principal balance 5,163,080 1,687,117 1,052,251 6,047,864 — 13,950,312 (1) Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts. (2) Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " on the consolidated financial statements. (3) Includes reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets. Also includes a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities. (4) Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount. (5) Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively.

Quarterly Financial Information

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) - QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Additional Financial Information Disclosure [Text Block]	QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Unaudited) Table 15.1 2015 Quarter Ended Dec. 31 Sept. 30 June 30 Mar. 31 (in thousands, except per share amounts) Interest income: Interest income $ 67,562 $ 66,918 $ 66,392 $ 63,951 Interest expense 36,591 34,735 34,528 33,162 Net interest income 30,971 32,183 31,864 30,789 (Provision for)/release of loan losses (3,366 ) 1,164 (110 ) (76 ) Net interest income after (provision for)/release of loan losses 27,605 33,347 31,754 30,713 Non-interest income/(loss): Guarantee and commitment fees 3,780 3,532 3,388 3,377 Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities 1,592 (9,568 ) 14,389 (3,882 ) Gains/(losses) on trading assets 696 (8 ) 170 362 Gains on sale of available-for-sale investment securities — 3 — 6 Losses on sale of real estate owned — — — (1 ) Other income 372 1,060 260 613 Non-interest income/(loss) 6,440 (4,981 ) 18,207 475 Non-interest expense 5,865 10,421 10,853 8,343 Income before income taxes 28,180 17,945 39,108 22,845 Income tax expense 9,912 6,327 13,769 4,231 Net income 18,268 11,618 25,339 18,614 Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling 60 36 119 (5,354 ) Net income attributable to Farmer Mac 18,328 11,654 25,458 13,260 Preferred stock dividends (3,296 ) (3,295 ) (3,296 ) (3,295 ) Loss on retirement of preferred stock — — — (8,147 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 15,032 $ 8,359 $ 22,162 $ 1,818 Earnings per common share: Basic earnings per common share $ 1.39 $ 0.76 $ 2.01 $ 0.17 Diluted earnings per common share $ 1.35 $ 0.74 $ 1.94 $ 0.16 2014 Quarter Ended Dec. 31 Sept. 30 June 30 Mar. 31 (in thousands, except per share amounts) Interest income: Interest income $ 60,730 $ 63,410 $ 64,475 $ 52,452 Interest expense 44,606 48,886 42,502 34,726 Net interest income 16,124 14,524 21,973 17,726 Release of/(provision for) loan losses 462 (511 ) 1,583 (573 ) Net interest income after release of/(provision for) loan losses 16,586 14,013 23,556 17,153 Non-interest income: Guarantee and commitment fees 3,563 3,644 3,703 3,784 (Losses)/gains on financial derivatives and hedging activities (9,178 ) 808 (5,698 ) (7,578 ) Gains on trading assets 13,857 16,369 7,748 655 (Losses)/gains on sale of available-for-sale investment securities — (396 ) 143 15 (Losses)/gains on sale of real estate owned (28 ) — 168 (3 ) Other income 920 502 200 92 Non-interest income/(loss) 9,134 20,927 6,264 (3,035 ) Non-interest expense 8,594 7,095 7,856 7,947 Income before income taxes 17,126 27,845 21,964 6,171 Income tax expense/(benefit) 2,769 7,564 (6,368 ) (1,141 ) Net income 14,357 20,281 28,332 7,312 Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling (5,414 ) (5,412 ) (5,819 ) (5,547 ) Net income attributable to Farmer Mac 8,943 14,869 22,513 1,765 Preferred stock dividends (3,296 ) (3,283 ) (2,308 ) (952 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 5,647 $ 11,586 $ 20,205 $ 813 Earnings per common share: Basic earnings per common share $ 0.52 $ 1.06 $ 1.85 $ 0.07 Diluted earnings per common share $ 0.50 $ 1.02 $ 1.78 $ 0.07

Accounting Policies - Accounti

Accounting Policies - Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Account Policies	The accounting and reporting policies of Farmer Mac conform with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("generally accepted accounting principles" or "GAAP"). The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities (including, but not limited to, the allowance for loan losses, reserve for losses, other-than-temporary impairment of investment securities, and fair value measurements) as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The following are the significant accounting policies that Farmer Mac follows in preparing and presenting its consolidated financial statements:
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Farmer Mac and its three subsidiaries: (1) Farmer Mac Mortgage Securities Corporation ("FMMSC"), whose principal activities are to facilitate the purchase and issuance of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities; (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 Securities; and (3) Contour Valuation Services, LLC, whose principal activity is to appraise agricultural real estate. The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which Farmer Mac determined itself to be the primary beneficiary. See Note 2(q) for more information on consolidated VIEs.
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. Farmer Mac does not consider securities purchased under agreements to resell to be cash equivalents if it intends to reinvest the funds from maturing repurchase agreements into new repurchase agreements and the aggregate term of the repurchase agreements exceeds six months. Changes in the balance of cash and cash equivalents are reported in the consolidated statements of cash flows.
Transfers of Financial Assets and Liabilities	Transfers of Financial Assets and Liabilities Securities purchased under agreements to resell are treated as collateralized lending transactions. Farmer Mac's counterparties are required to pledge collateral for transactions involving securities purchased under agreements to resell. Farmer Mac considers the types of securities being pledged as collateral when determining how much to lend in these transactions. Additionally, on a daily basis, Farmer Mac reviews the fair values of these securities compared to amounts loaned and derivative counterparty collateral posting thresholds in an effort to minimize exposure to losses. These transactions are reported as securities purchased under agreements to resell in the consolidated balance sheets except for securities purchased under agreements to resell on an overnight basis, which are included in cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated balance sheets. Farmer Mac records securities purchased under agreements to resell at the amount loaned in the consolidated balance sheets. The resulting fees for these transactions are included in interest income in the consolidated statements of operations . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, there were no outstanding securities purchased under agreements to resell. Securities sold, not yet purchased, represent obligations of Farmer Mac to deliver specified securities at contracted prices, which would thereby require Farmer Mac to purchase the securities in the market at prevailing prices. Farmer Mac records securities sold, not yet purchased in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities " in the consolidated statements of operations . The resulting interest expense for these transactions is included in interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, there were no outstanding securities sold, not yet purchased.
Investment Securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities	Investment Securities, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities Securities for which Farmer Mac has the intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as held-to-maturity and are carried at amortized cost. Securities for which Farmer Mac does not have the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as available-for-sale or trading and are carried at estimated fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders' equity. For securities classified as trading, unrealized gains and losses are included in earnings. Gains and losses on the sale of available-for-sale and trading securities are determined using the specific identification cost method. Farmer Mac determines the fair value of investment securities using quoted market prices, when available, and evaluates the securities for other-than-temporary impairment. Farmer Mac determines the fair values of certain investment securities for which quoted market prices are not available, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities based on the present value of the associated expected future cash flows. In estimating the present value of the expected future cash flows, management is required to make estimates and assumptions. The key estimates and assumptions include discount rates and collateral repayment rates. Premiums, discounts, and other deferred costs are amortized to interest income over the estimated life of the security using the effective interest method. Farmer Mac generally receives compensation when loans with yield maintenance provisions underlying Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities prepay. These yield maintenance payments mitigate Farmer Mac's exposure to reinvestment risk and are calculated such that, when reinvested with the prepaid principal, they should generate substantially the same cash flows that would have been generated had the loans not prepaid. Yield maintenance payments are recognized as interest income in the consolidated statements of operations upon receipt.
Loans	Loans Loans for which Farmer Mac has the positive intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future are classified as held for investment and reported at their unpaid principal balance, net of unamortized purchase discounts or premiums. When Farmer Mac consolidates a trust, it recognizes the loans underlying the trust in the consolidated balance sheets as "Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost." See Note 2(q) for more information on the accounting policy related to consolidation. Loans that Farmer Mac does not intend to hold for the foreseeable future are classified as held for sale and reported at the lower of cost or fair value determined on a pooled basis. Farmer Mac does not amortize premiums and discounts related to loans held for sale.
Non-accrual Loans	Non-accrual Loans Non-accrual loans are loans for which it is probable that Farmer Mac will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement and include all loans 90 days or more past due. When a loan becomes 90 days past due, interest accrual on the loan is discontinued and interest previously accrued is reversed against interest income in the current period. The interest on such loans is accounted for on the cash basis until a loan qualifies for return to accrual status. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest payments contractually due are collected and certain performance criteria are met.
Securitization of Loans	Securitization of Loans Asset securitization involves the transfer of financial assets to another entity in exchange for cash and/or beneficial interests in the assets transferred. Farmer Mac or third parties transfer agricultural real estate mortgage loans or rural utilities loans into trusts that are used as vehicles for the securitization of the transferred loans. The trusts issue Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities that are beneficial interests in the assets of the trusts, to either Farmer Mac or third party investors. Farmer Mac guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on the securities issued by the trusts and receives guarantee fees as compensation for its guarantee. Farmer Mac recognizes guarantee fees on an accrual basis over the terms of the Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, which generally coincide with the terms of the underlying loans. As such, no guarantee fees are unearned at the end of any reporting period. When Farmer Mac purchases a delinquent loan underlying a Farmer Mac Guaranteed Security, Farmer Mac stops accruing the guarantee fee upon loan purchase.
Real Estate Owned	Real Estate Owned Real estate owned ("REO") consists of real estate acquired through loan liquidation and is recorded at fair value less estimated selling cost at acquisition. Fair value is determined by appraisal or other appropriate valuation method. Any excess of the recorded investment in the loan over the fair value less estimated selling costs is charged to the allowance for loan losses. Subsequent to the acquisition, management continues to perform periodic valuations of real estate owned. Declines in the net realizable value (fair value less estimated selling costs) are charged through income and presented in "Real estate owned operating costs, net" on the consolidated statements of operations.
Financial Derivatives	Financial Derivatives Farmer Mac enters into financial derivative transactions principally to protect against risk from the effects of market price or interest rate movements on the value of certain assets, future cash flows or debt issuance, not for trading or speculative purposes. Farmer Mac enters into interest rate swap contracts principally to adjust the characteristics of its short-term debt to match more closely the cash flow and duration characteristics of its longer-term loans and other assets, and also to adjust the characteristics of its long-term debt to match more closely the cash flow and duration characteristics of its short-term assets, thereby reducing interest rate risk and often times deriving an overall lower effective cost of borrowing than would otherwise be available to Farmer Mac in the conventional debt market. Farmer Mac is required to recognize certain contracts and commitments as derivatives when the characteristics of those contracts and commitments meet the definition of a derivative. Accounting for financial derivatives differs depending on whether a derivative is designated in a formal hedging relationship. Derivative instruments designated in fair value hedging relationships mitigate exposure to changes in the fair value of assets or liabilities. Derivative instruments designated in cash flow hedging relationships mitigate exposure to the variability in expected future cash flows or other forecasted transactions. In order to qualify for fair value or cash flow hedge accounting treatment, documentation must indicate the intention to designate the derivative as a hedge of a specific asset, or liability, or a future cash flow. Effectiveness of the hedge is assessed at inception and monitored over the life of the hedging relationship. All financial derivatives are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value as a freestanding asset or liability. Changes in the fair values of financial derivatives not designated as cash flow hedges are reported in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . For financial derivatives designated in fair value hedging relationships, changes in the fair values of the hedged items related to the risk being hedged are also reported in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . The accrual of the contractual amounts due on the financial derivative is included as an adjustment to the yield of the hedged item and is reported in net interest income. For financial derivatives designated in cash flow hedging relationships, the effective portion of the derivative gain/loss is recorded in other comprehensive income; amounts are disclosed as a reclassification out of other comprehensive income and affecting net interest income when the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings. Any ineffective portion of designated hedge transactions is recognized immediately in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " in the consolidated statements of operations . Farmer Mac has made an accounting policy election to measure the credit risk of its derivative financial instruments that are subject to master netting agreements on a net basis by counterparty portfolio, consistent with how Farmer Mac previously has been measuring credit risk for these instruments. See Notes 6 and 13 for more information on financial derivatives.
Notes Payable	Notes Payable Notes payable are classified as due within one year or due after one year based on the length of time remaining to their contractual maturities. Debt issuance costs and premiums and discounts are deferred and amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the contractual life of the related debt.
Allowance for Loan Losses and Reserve for Losses	Allowance for Loan Losses and Reserve for Losses Farmer Mac maintains an allowance for losses to cover estimated probable losses incurred as of the balance sheet date on loans held ("allowance for loan losses") and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities ("reserve for losses") based on available information. Disaggregation by commodity type is performed, where appropriate, in analyzing the need for an allowance for losses. The allowance for losses increases through periodic provisions for loan losses that are charged against net interest income and the reserve for losses increases through provisions for losses that are charged to non-interest expense, and decreases by charge-offs for actual losses, net of recoveries. Negative provisions, or releases of allowance for losses, generally occur when the estimate of probable losses as of the end of a period is lower than the estimate at the beginning of the period. In certain circumstances, for example, when a defaulted loan is purchased out of a guaranteed security or pursuant to an LTSPC, the related reserve for losses is reclassified as allowance for loan losses and there is a corresponding release from the provision for losses and a charge to the provision for loan losses. The total allowance for losses consists of a general allowance for losses and a specific allowance for individual impaired loans. Charge-offs Farmer Mac records a charge-off against the allowance for losses principally when a loss has been confirmed through the receipt of assets, generally the underlying collateral, in full satisfaction of the loan. The loss equals the excess of the recorded investment in the loan over the fair value of the collateral less estimated selling costs. General Allowance for Losses Farm & Ranch Farmer Mac's methodology for determining its allowance for losses incorporates Farmer Mac's automated loan classification system. That system scores loans based on criteria such as historical repayment performance, indicators of current financial condition, loan seasoning, loan size and loan-to-value ratio. The allowance methodology captures the migration of loan scores across concurrent and overlapping 3-year time horizons and calculates loss rates separately within each loan classification for (1) loans underlying LTSPCs and (2) loans held and loans underlying Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities. The calculated loss rates are applied to the current classification distribution of unimpaired loans in Farmer Mac's portfolio to estimate inherent losses, on the assumption that the historical credit losses and trends used to calculate loss rates will continue in the future. Management evaluates this assumption by taking into consideration several factors, including: • economic conditions; • geographic and agricultural commodity/product concentrations in the portfolio; • the credit profile of the portfolio; • delinquency trends of the portfolio; • historical charge-off and recovery activities of the portfolio; and • other factors to capture current portfolio trends and characteristics that differ from historical experience. Management believes that its use of this methodology produces a reasonable estimate of probable losses, as of the balance sheet date, for all loans held in the Farm & Ranch portfolio and loans underlying off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs. There were no purchases or sales during 2015 that materially affected the credit profile of the Farm & Ranch portfolio. Rural Utilities Farmer Mac separately evaluates the rural utilities loans it owns to determine if there are any probable losses inherent in those assets. No allowance for losses has been provided for this portfolio segment based on the performance of these loans and the credit quality of the collateral supporting rural utilities assets and Farmer Mac's counterparty risk analysis. As of December 31, 2015, there were no delinquencies and no probable losses inherent in Farmer Mac's Rural Utilities loans held or underlying LTSPCs. Specific Allowance for Impaired Loans Farmer Mac also analyzes certain loans in its portfolio for impairment in accordance with accounting guidance on measuring individual impairment of a loan. Farmer Mac's impaired loans generally include loans 90 days or more past due, in foreclosure, restructured, in bankruptcy and certain performing loans that have previously been delinquent or are secured by real estate that produces agricultural commodities or products currently under stress. Farmer Mac uses a risk-based approach in determining the necessity of obtaining updated appraisals on impaired loans. For example, larger exposures associated with highly improved and specialized collateral will generally receive updated appraisals once the loans are identified as impaired. In addition, updated appraisals are always obtained during the foreclosure process. Depending on the risk factors associated with the loan and underlying collateral, which can vary widely depending on the circumstances of the loan and collateral, this can occur early in the foreclosure process, while in other instances this may occur just prior to the transfer of title. As part of its routine credit review process, Farmer Mac often will exercise judgment in discounting an appraisal value due to local real estate trends or the condition of the property (e.g., following an inspection by Farmer Mac or the servicer). In addition, a property appraisal value may be discounted based on the market's reaction to Farmer Mac's asking price for sale of the property. For loans with an updated appraised value, other updated collateral valuation or management's estimate of discounted collateral value, this analysis includes the measurement of the fair value of the underlying collateral for individual loans relative to the total recorded investment, including principal, interest, and advances and net of any charge-offs. In the event that the collateral value does not support the total recorded investment, Farmer Mac specifically provides an allowance for the loan for the difference between the recorded investment and its fair value, less estimated costs to liquidate the collateral. Estimated selling costs are based on historical selling costs incurred by Farmer Mac or management's best estimate of selling costs for a particular property. For the remaining impaired assets without updated valuations, this analysis is performed in the aggregate in consideration of the similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics. Farmer Mac considers appraisals aged more than two years as of the reporting period end date to be outdated. Farmer Mac believes this methodology that uses loan classification scores and historical loss experience is a better indication of impairment for these collateral-dependent loans than other valuation methods.
Earnings Per Share	Earnings Per Common Share Basic earnings 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.
Income Taxes	Income Taxes Deferred federal income tax assets and liabilities are established for temporary differences between financial and taxable income and are measured using the current enacted statutory tax rate. Income tax expense is equal to the income taxes payable in the current year plus the net change in the deferred tax asset or liability balance. Farmer Mac evaluates its tax positions at least quarterly to identify and recognize any liabilities related to uncertain tax positions in its federal income tax returns. Farmer Mac uses a two-step approach in which income tax benefits are recognized if, based on the technical merits of a tax position, it is more likely than not (a probability of greater than 50 percent ) that the tax position would be sustained upon examination by the taxing authority, which includes all related appeals and litigation process. The amount of tax benefit recognized is then measured at the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely to be realized upon settlement with the taxing authority, considering all information available at the reporting date. Farmer Mac's policy for recording interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax positions is to record them as a component of income tax expense. Farmer Mac establishes a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Stock-Based Compensation	Stock-Based Compensation Farmer Mac accounts for its stock-based employee compensation plans using the grant date fair value method of accounting. Farmer Mac measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The cost is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. For performance-based grants, Farmer Mac recognizes the grant-date fair value over the vesting period as long as it remains probable that the performance conditions will be met. If the service or performance conditions are not met, Farmer Mac reverses previously recognized compensation expense upon forfeiture.
Comprehensive Income	Comprehensive Income Comprehensive income represents all changes in stockholders' equity except those resulting from investments by or distributions to stockholders, and is comprised of net income and unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, certain held-to-maturity securities transferred from the available-for-sale classification, and cash flow hedges, net of related taxes.
Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments	Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments Farmer Mac accounts for its LTSPCs as guarantees. Commitment fee income represents a reduction of the commitment obligation based on amortization using the actual prepayment experience on the underlying loans.
Fair Value Measurement	Fair Value Measurement Farmer Mac defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date and establishes a fair value hierarchy that ranks the quality and reliability of the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives highest rank to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1 measurements) and the lowest rank to unobservable inputs (level 3 measurements). Farmer Mac's assessment of the significance of the input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument. Both observable and unobservable inputs may be used to determine the fair value of financial instruments that Farmer Mac has classified within the level 3 category. As a result, the unrealized gains and losses for assets and liabilities within the level 3 category may include changes in fair value that were attributable to both observable (e.g., changes in market interest rates) and unobservable (e.g., changes in projected prepayment rates) inputs.
Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities	Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities Farmer Mac has interests in various entities that are considered to be VIEs. These interests include investments in securities issued by VIEs, such as Farmer Mac agricultural mortgage-backed securities created pursuant to Farmer Mac's securitization transactions and mortgage and asset-backed trusts that Farmer Mac did not create. The consolidation model uses a qualitative evaluation that requires consolidation of an entity when the reporting enterprise both (1) has the power to direct matters which significantly impact the activities and success of the entity, and (2) has exposure to benefits and/or losses that could potentially be significant to the entity. The reporting enterprise that meets both these conditions is deemed the primary beneficiary of the VIE. Upon consolidation of a VIE, Farmer Mac accounts for the incremental assets and liabilities initially at their carrying amounts. The VIEs in which Farmer Mac has a variable interest are limited to securitization trusts. The major factor in determining if Farmer Mac is the primary beneficiary is whether Farmer Mac has the power to direct the activities of the trust that potentially have the most significant impact on the economic performance of the trust. Generally, the ability to make decisions regarding default mitigation is evidence of that power. Farmer Mac determined that it is the primary beneficiary for the securitization trusts related to most Farm & Ranch and all Rural Utilities securitization transactions because of its rights as guarantor under both programs to control the default mitigation activities of the trusts. For certain securitization trusts created when loans subject to LTSPCs were converted to Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities, Farmer Mac determined that it was not the primary beneficiary since the power to make decisions regarding default mitigation was shared among unrelated parties. For these trusts, the shared power provisions are substantive with respect to decision-making power and relate to the same activity (i.e., default mitigation). For similar securitization transactions where the power to make decisions regarding default mitigation was shared with a related party, Farmer Mac determined that it was the primary beneficiary because the applicable accounting guidance does not permit parties within a related party group to conclude that the power is shared. In the event that a related party status changes, consolidation or deconsolidation of these securitization trusts could occur. For those trusts that Farmer Mac is the primary beneficiary, the assets and liabilities are presented on the consolidated balance sheets as "Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost" and "Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties," respectively. These assets can only be used to satisfy the obligations of the related trust. For those trusts where Farmer Mac has a variable interest but has not been determined to be the primary beneficiary, Farmer Mac's interests are presented as either "Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities," "USDA Securities," or "Investment securities" on the consolidated balance sheets. Farmer Mac's involvement in VIEs classified as Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities or USDA Securities include securitization trusts under the USDA Guarantees line of business and certain trusts related to AgVantage securities. In the case of USDA guaranteed trusts, Farmer Mac is not determined to be the primary beneficiary because it does not have the decision-making power over default mitigation activities. Based on the USDA's program authority over the servicing and default mitigation activities of the USDA guaranteed portions of loans, Farmer Mac believes that the USDA has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the trust's economic performance. Farmer Mac does not have exposure to losses that could be significant to the trust and there are no triggers that would result in Farmer Mac superseding the USDA's authority with regard to directing the activities of the trust. For the AgVantage trusts, Farmer Mac currently does not have the power to direct the activities that have the most significant economic impact to the trust unless, as guarantor, there is a default by the issuer of the trust securities. Should there be a default, Farmer Mac would reassess whether it is the primary beneficiary of those trusts. The amounts disclosed in the tables below represent Farmer Mac's holdings of a portion of the beneficial interests issued by these AgVantage Trusts. For VIEs classified as investment securities, which include auction-rate certificates, asset-backed securities, and government-sponsored enterprise ("GSE")-guaranteed mortgage-backed securities, Farmer Mac is determined not to be the primary beneficiary because of the lack of voting rights or other powers to direct the activities of the trust.
New Accounting Standards	New Accounting Standards In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, "Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis." This update modifies the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are VIEs or voting interest entities and eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. It also affects the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with VIEs, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships. ASU 2015-02 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of the new guidance will not have a material effect on Farmer Mac's financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, which amends the guidance in GAAP on the classification and measurement of financial instruments. The ASU significantly revises an entity's accounting related to (1) the classification and measurement of investments in equity securities and (2) the presentation of certain fair value changes for financial liabilities measured at fair value. The ASU also amends certain disclosure requirements associated with the fair value of financial instruments. The new standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of the new guidance will not have a material effect on Farmer Mac's financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases," which provides new guidance intended to improve financial reporting about leasing transactions. The ASU will require organizations that lease assets to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases. The ASU also will require disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The new standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. The adoption of the new guidance will not have a material effect on Farmer Mac's financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain reclassifications of prior period information were made to conform to the current period presentation.

Accounting Policies - Accoun24

Accounting Policies - Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule of Cash Flow, Supplemental Disclosures	The following table sets forth information regarding certain cash and non-cash transactions for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 2.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Cash paid during the period for: Interest $ 108,254 $ 171,644 $ 114,609 Income taxes 31,000 12,750 23,000 Non-cash activity: Real estate owned acquired through loan liquidation — — 1,443 Loans acquired and securitized as Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 336,913 175,754 150,417 Consolidation of Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities from off-balance sheet to loans held for investment in consolidated trusts and to debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties 336,913 199,906 150,417 Purchases of securities - traded, not yet settled 20,000 70,178 — Issuance costs on the retirement of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock 8,147 — — Unsettled common stock repurchases 197 — — Transfers of loans held for sale to loans held for investment — — 673,991 Transfers of available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities to held-to-maturity — 1,632,786 —
Earnings Per Common Share	The following schedule reconciles basic and diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 2.2 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Net Weighted-Average Shares $ per Net Weighted-Average Shares $ per Net Weighted-Average Shares $ per (in thousands, except per share amounts) Basic EPS Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 47,371 10,949 $ 4.33 $ 38,251 10,920 $ 3.50 $ 71,833 10,816 $ 6.64 Effect of dilutive securities (1) Stock options, SARs and restricted stock — 360 (0.14 ) — 447 (0.13 ) — 393 (0.23 ) Diluted EPS $ 47,371 11,309 $ 4.19 $ 38,251 11,367 $ 3.37 $ 71,833 11,209 $ 6.41 (1) For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, stock options and SARs of 304,132 , 109,143 , and 33,730 , respectively, were outstanding but not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share of common stock because they were anti-dilutive. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, contingent shares of non-vested restricted stock of 46,303 , 36,784 , and 26,696 , respectively, were outstanding but not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share of common stock because performance conditions had not yet been met.
Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]	The following table presents the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI"), net of tax, by component for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 2.3 Available-for-Sale Securities Held-to-Maturity Securities Cash Flow Hedges Total (in thousands) Balance as of January 1, 2013 $ 73,969 $ — $ — $ 73,969 Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications (75,465 ) — 63 (75,402 ) Amounts reclassified from AOCI (14,776 ) — 7 (14,769 ) Net other comprehensive (loss)/income (90,241 ) — 70 (90,171 ) Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ (16,272 ) $ — $ 70 $ (16,202 ) Other comprehensive income/(loss) before reclassifications 38,927 14,502 (364 ) 53,065 Amounts reclassified from AOCI (12,939 ) (8,529 ) 138 (21,330 ) Net other comprehensive income/(loss) 25,988 5,973 (226 ) 31,735 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 9,716 $ 5,973 $ (156 ) $ 15,533 Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications (6,026 ) — (1,155 ) (7,181 ) Amounts reclassified from AOCI (13,725 ) (6,449 ) 803 (19,371 ) Net other comprehensive (loss)/income (19,751 ) (6,449 ) (352 ) (26,552 ) Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ (10,035 ) $ (476 ) $ (508 ) $ (11,019 )
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Table Text Block]	The following table presents other comprehensive income activity, the impact on net income of amounts reclassified from each component of AOCI, and the related tax impact for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 2.4 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Before Tax Provision (Benefit) After Tax Before Tax Provision (Benefit) After Tax Before Tax Provision (Benefit) After Tax (in thousands) Other comprehensive income/(loss): Available-for-sale-securities: Unrealized holding (losses)/gains on available-for-sale-securities $ (9,270 ) $ (3,244 ) $ (6,026 ) $ 59,887 $ 20,960 $ 38,927 $ (116,099 ) $ (40,634 ) $ (75,465 ) Less reclassification adjustments included in: Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities (1) (20,125 ) (7,044 ) (13,081 ) (19,213 ) (6,725 ) (12,488 ) (19,381 ) (6,783 ) (12,598 ) Gains on sale of available-for-sale investment securities (2) (10 ) (4 ) (6 ) 239 84 155 (2,114 ) (740 ) (1,374 ) Other income (3) (982 ) (344 ) (638 ) (933 ) (327 ) (606 ) (1,237 ) (433 ) (804 ) Total $ (30,387 ) $ (10,636 ) $ (19,751 ) $ 39,980 $ 13,992 $ 25,988 $ (138,831 ) $ (48,590 ) $ (90,241 ) Held-to-maturity securities: Change in fair value $ — $ — $ — $ 22,311 $ 7,809 $ 14,502 $ — $ — $ — Less reclassification adjustments included in: Net interest income (4) (9,922 ) (3,473 ) (6,449 ) (13,121 ) (4,592 ) (8,529 ) — — — Total $ (9,922 ) $ (3,473 ) $ (6,449 ) $ 9,190 $ 3,217 $ 5,973 $ — $ — $ — Cash flow hedges Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges $ (1,776 ) $ (621 ) $ (1,155 ) $ (559 ) $ (195 ) $ (364 ) $ 96 $ 33 $ 63 Less reclassification adjustments included in: Net interest income (5) 1,235 432 803 212 74 138 11 4 7 Total $ (541 ) $ (189 ) $ (352 ) $ (347 ) $ (121 ) $ (226 ) $ 107 $ 37 $ 70 Other comprehensive (loss)/income $ (40,850 ) $ (14,298 ) $ (26,552 ) $ 48,823 $ 17,088 $ 31,735 $ (138,724 ) $ (48,553 ) $ (90,171 ) (1) Relates to the amortization of unrealized gains on hedged items prior to the application of fair value hedge accounting. (2) Represents unrealized gains on sales of available-for-sale investment securities. (3) Represents amortization of deferred gains related to certain available-for-sale USDA Securities and Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities. (4) Relates to the amortization of unrealized gains or losses prior to the reclassification of these securities from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity. The amortization of unrealized gains or losses reported in AOCI for held-to-maturity securities will be offset by the amortization of the premium or discount created from the transfer into held-to-maturity securities, which occurred at fair value. These unrealized gains or losses will be recorded over the remaining life of the security with no impact on future net income. (5) Relates to the recognition of unrealized gains and losses on cash flow hedges recorded in AOCI.
Schedule of Variable Interest Entities	The following tables present, by line of business, details about the consolidation of VIEs: Table 2.5 Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities As of December 31, 2015 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Utilities Institutional Credit Corporate Total (in thousands) On-Balance Sheet: Consolidated VIEs: Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost $ 708,111 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 708,111 Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties (1) 713,536 — — — — 713,536 Unconsolidated VIEs: Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Carrying value (2) — 31,360 — 31,400 — 62,760 Maximum exposure to loss (3) — 31,553 — 30,000 — 61,553 Investment securities: Carrying value (4) — — — — 917,292 917,292 Maximum exposure to loss (3) (4) — — — — 918,121 918,121 Off-Balance Sheet: Unconsolidated VIEs: Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Maximum exposure to loss (3) (5) 514,051 10,272 — 970,000 — 1,494,323 (1) Includes borrower remittances of $5.4 million . The borrower remittances have not been passed through to third party investors as of December 31, 2015. (2) Includes $0.2 million of unamortized premiums and discounts and fair value adjustments related to the USDA Guarantees line of business. Includes fair value adjustments related to the Institutional Credit line of business of $1.4 million . (3) Farmer Mac uses unpaid principal balance and outstanding face amount of investment securities to represent maximum exposure to loss. (4) Includes auction-rate certificates, asset-backed securities, and government-sponsored enterprise ("GSE")-guaranteed mortgage-backed securities. (5) The amount under the Farm & Ranch line of business relates to unconsolidated trusts where Farmer Mac determined it was not the primary beneficiary due to shared power with an unrelated party . Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities As of December 31, 2014 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Utilities Institutional Credit Corporate Total (in thousands) On-Balance Sheet: Consolidated VIEs: Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost (1) $ 421,355 $ — $ 271,123 $ — $ — $ 692,478 Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties (2) 424,214 — — — — 424,214 Unconsolidated VIEs: Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Carrying value (3) — 27,620 — 32,415 — 60,035 Maximum exposure to loss (4) — 27,832 — 30,000 — 57,832 Investment securities: Carrying value (5) — — — — 409,657 409,657 Maximum exposure to loss (4) (5) — — — — 412,690 412,690 Off-Balance Sheet: Unconsolidated VIEs: Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Maximum exposure to loss (4) (6) 636,086 13,978 — 970,000 — 1,620,064 (1) Includes unamortized premiums related to the Rural Utilities line of business of $3.7 million . (2) Includes borrower remittances of $2.9 million , which have not been passed through to third party investors as of December 31, 2014. (3) Includes $0.2 million of unamortized premiums and discounts and fair value adjustments related to the USDA Guarantees line of business. Includes fair value adjustments related to the Institutional Credit line of business of $2.4 million . (4) Farmer Mac uses unpaid principal balance and the outstanding face amount of investment securities to represent maximum exposure to loss. (5) Includes auction-rate certificates, asset-backed securities, and GSE-guaranteed mortgage-backed securities. (6) The amount under the Farm & Ranch line of business relates to unconsolidated trusts where Farmer Mac determined it was not the primary beneficiary due to shared power with an unrelated party.

Related Party Transactions -25

Related Party Transactions - Related Party Transactions (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Zions First National Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Schedule of Related Party Transactions [Table Text Block]	The following transactions occurred between Farmer Mac and Zions during 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 3.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Unpaid Principal Balance: Purchases: Loans $ 178,890 $ 155,808 $ 210,088 USDA Securities 13,718 42,637 13,153 On-balance sheet AgVantage Securities — 50,237 — Sales of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 255,338 147,234 120,409
CFC [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Schedule of Related Party Transactions [Table Text Block]	The following transactions occurred between Farmer Mac and CFC during 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 3.2 Farmer Mac Loan Purchases and Guarantees For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Unpaid Principal Balance: Loans $ 108,337 $ 75,500 $ 86,965 LTSPCs 522,262 — — On-balance sheet AgVantage Securities 380,000 820,775 820,000 Off-balance sheet AgVantage Securities — 7,190 — Off-balance sheet Revolving floating rate AgVantage facility 300,000 — — Total purchases and guarantees $ 1,310,599 $ 903,465 $ 906,965

Investment Securities - Invest

Investment Securities - Investment Securities (Tables) - Investment Securities [Member]	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule of Available-for-sale and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Marketable Securities [Table Text Block]	The following tables set forth information about Farmer Mac's investment securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014: Table 4.1 As of December 31, 2015 Amount Outstanding Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 46,500 $ — $ 46,500 $ — $ (1,576 ) $ 44,924 Floating rate asset-backed securities 74,744 (253 ) 74,491 14 (776 ) 73,729 Floating rate corporate debt securities 10,000 — 10,000 — (9 ) 9,991 Fixed rate corporate debt securities 10,000 (1 ) 9,999 — (5 ) 9,994 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 1,353,495 3,515 1,357,010 2,768 (4,319 ) 1,355,459 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (1) 692 3,117 3,809 4,095 — 7,904 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt 70,000 — 70,000 — (3,751 ) 66,249 Fixed rate senior agency debt 214,000 (25 ) 213,975 12 — 213,987 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 993,680 (417 ) 993,263 2 (477 ) 992,788 Total available-for-sale 2,773,111 5,936 2,779,047 6,891 (10,913 ) 2,775,025 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities 2,211 — 2,211 — (1,720 ) 491 Total investment securities $ 2,775,322 $ 5,936 $ 2,781,258 $ 6,891 $ (12,633 ) $ 2,775,516 (1) Fair value includes $7.2 million of an interest-only security with a notional amount of $148.5 million . As of December 31, 2014 Amount Outstanding Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 46,600 $ — $ 46,600 $ — $ (6,024 ) $ 40,576 Floating rate asset-backed securities 100,730 (74 ) 100,656 283 (37 ) 100,902 Floating rate corporate debt securities 10,000 — 10,000 91 — 10,091 Fixed rate corporate debt securities 30,000 (10 ) 29,990 35 — 30,025 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 605,053 3,431 608,484 4,712 (443 ) 612,753 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (1) 853 3,542 4,395 3,807 — 8,202 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt 70,000 — 70,000 — (3,680 ) 66,320 Fixed rate senior agency debt 18,806 130 18,936 3 — 18,939 Floating rate U.S. Treasuries 75,000 (10 ) 74,990 — (11 ) 74,979 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 975,194 462 975,656 72 (16 ) 975,712 Total available-for-sale 1,932,236 7,471 1,939,707 9,003 (10,211 ) 1,938,499 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities 2,868 — 2,868 — (2,179 ) 689 Total investment securities $ 1,935,104 $ 7,471 $ 1,942,575 $ 9,003 $ (12,390 ) $ 1,939,188 (1) Fair value includes $7.3 million of an interest-only security with a notional amount of $152.4 million .
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, unrealized losses on available-for-sale investment securities were as follows: Table 4.2 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 18,124 $ (1,576 ) Floating rate asset-backed securities 44,552 (464 ) 9,975 (312 ) Floating rate corporate debt securities 4,991 (9 ) — — Fixed rate corporate debt securities 9,994 (5 ) — — Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 794,959 (3,408 ) 100,192 (911 ) Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — — 66,249 (3,751 ) Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 944,842 (477 ) — — Total $ 1,799,338 $ (4,363 ) $ 194,540 $ (6,550 ) As of December 31, 2014 Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 40,576 $ (6,024 ) Floating rate asset-backed securities 19,388 (37 ) — — Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 76,100 (164 ) 76,867 (279 ) Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — — 66,320 (3,680 ) Floating rate U.S. Treasuries 74,980 (11 ) — — Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 325,033 (16 ) — — Total $ 495,501 $ (228 ) $ 183,763 $ (9,983 ) The unrealized losses presented above are principally due to a general widening of credit spreads from the dates of acquisition to December 31, 2015 and 2014, as applicable. The resulting decrease in fair values reflects an increase in the perceived risk by the financial markets related to those securities. As of December 31, 2015 , all of the investment securities in an unrealized loss position either were backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or had credit ratings of at least "AA+," except three that were rated "A-." As of December 31, 2014 , all of the investment securities in an unrealized loss position either were backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or had credit ratings of at least " AA+ ," except one that was rated " A- ." The unrealized losses were on 69 and 35 individual investment securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. As of December 31, 2015 , 17 of the securities in loss positions had been in loss positions for more than 12 months and had a total unrealized loss of $6.6 million . As of December 31, 2014 , 15 of the securities in loss positions had been in loss positions for more than 12 months and had a total unrealized loss of $10.0 million . Securities in unrealized loss positions for 12 months or longer have a fair value as of December 31, 2015 that is, on average, approximately 97 percent of their amortized cost basis. Farmer Mac believes that all of these unrealized losses are recoverable within a reasonable period of time by way of maturity or changes in credit spreads. Accordingly, Farmer Mac has concluded that none of the unrealized losses on these available-for-sale investment securities represents other-than-temporary impairment as of December 31, 2015 and 2014.
Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]	The amortized cost, fair value, and weighted average yield of available-for-sale investment securities by remaining contractual maturity as of December 31, 2015 are set forth below. Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities are included based on their final maturities, although the actual maturities may differ due to prepayments of the underlying assets. Table 4.3 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Amortized Fair Value Weighted- (dollars in thousands) Due within one year $ 1,222,236 $ 1,221,760 0.43% Due after one year through five years 146,389 147,101 1.10% Due after five years through ten years 575,023 573,082 0.86% Due after ten years 835,399 833,082 0.90% Total $ 2,779,047 $ 2,775,025 0.70%

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securit27

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities (Tables) - Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Marketable Securities [Table Text Block]	The following tables set forth information about on-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014: Table 5.1 As of December 31, 2015 Unpaid Principal Balance Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Held-to-maturity: AgVantage $ 1,274,431 $ (415 ) $ 1,274,016 $ 7,801 $ — $ 1,281,817 Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 4,164,952 $ — $ 4,164,952 $ 26,831 $ (70,539 ) $ 4,121,244 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 31,554 (333 ) 31,221 140 — 31,361 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 4,196,506 (333 ) 4,196,173 26,971 (70,539 ) 4,152,605 USDA Securities 1,849,322 1,890 1,851,212 37,160 (28 ) 1,888,344 Total available-for-sale $ 6,045,828 $ 1,557 $ 6,047,385 $ 64,131 $ (70,567 ) $ 6,040,949 Trading: USDA Securities $ 27,129 $ 1,934 $ 29,063 $ 125 $ (213 ) $ 28,975 As of December 31, 2014 Unpaid Principal Balance Unamortized Premium/(Discount) Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Value (in thousands) Held-to-maturity: AgVantage $ 1,785,340 $ 9,280 $ 1,794,620 $ 6,211 $ (255 ) $ 1,800,576 Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 3,625,073 $ — $ 3,625,073 $ 36,442 $ (29,853 ) $ 3,631,662 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 27,831 (442 ) 27,389 237 (7 ) 27,619 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 3,652,904 (442 ) 3,652,462 36,679 (29,860 ) 3,659,281 USDA Securities 1,717,813 3,162 1,720,975 11,850 (1,603 ) 1,731,222 Total available-for-sale $ 5,370,717 $ 2,720 $ 5,373,437 $ 48,529 $ (31,463 ) $ 5,390,503 Trading: USDA Securities $ 38,412 $ 2,748 $ 41,160 $ 114 $ (964 ) $ 40,310
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, unrealized losses on held-to-maturity and available-for-sale on-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities were as follows: Table 5.2 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 1,193,866 $ (41,835 ) $ 1,104,981 $ (28,704 ) USDA Securities — — 103,010 (28 ) Total available-for-sale $ 1,193,866 $ (41,835 ) $ 1,207,991 $ (28,732 ) As of December 31, 2014 Held-to-Maturity and Available-for-Sale Securities Unrealized loss position for Unrealized loss position for Fair Value Unrealized Fair Value Unrealized (in thousands) Held-to-maturity: AgVantage $ 547 $ (1 ) $ 49,745 $ (254 ) Available-for-sale: AgVantage $ 685,131 $ (13,115 ) $ 1,460,089 $ (16,738 ) Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 3,720 (7 ) — — USDA Securities 264,375 (1,549 ) 97,817 (54 ) Total available-for-sale $ 953,226 $ (14,671 ) $ 1,557,906 $ (16,792 ) The unrealized losses presented above are principally due to higher interest rates from the date of acquisition to December 31, 2015 and 2014, as applicable. The credit exposure related to Farmer Mac's USDA Guarantees line of business is covered by the full faith and credit guarantee of the United States. The unrealized losses from AgVantage securities were on 22 available-for-sale securities as of December 31, 2015 . There were no unrealized losses from held-to-maturity AgVantage securities as of December 31, 2015 . The unrealized losses from AgVantage securities were on 2 held-to-maturity securities and 23 available-for-sale securities as of December 31, 2014 . As of December 31, 2015 , 8 available-for-sale AgVantage securities had been in a loss position for more than 12 months with a total unrealized loss of $28.7 million . As of December 31, 2014 , 15 available-for-sale AgVantage securities had been in a loss position for more than 12 months with a total unrealized loss of $16.7 million . Farmer Mac has concluded that none of the unrealized losses on its held-to-maturity Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities are other-than-temporary impairment as of either December 31, 2015 or 2014. Farmer Mac does not intend to sell these securities, and it is not more likely than not that Farmer Mac will be required to sell the securities before recovery of the amortized cost basis.
Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]	The amortized cost, fair value, and weighted average yield of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities by remaining contractual maturity as of December 31, 2015 are set forth below. The balances presented are based on their final maturities, although the actual maturities may differ due to prepayments of the underlying assets. Table 5.3 As of December 31, 2015 Available-for-Sale Securities Amortized Fair Value Weighted- (dollars in thousands) Due within one year $ 667,704 $ 668,996 2.54 % Due after one year through five years 1,593,602 1,597,710 1.42 % Due after five years through ten years 1,292,198 1,299,302 1.97 % Due after ten years 2,493,881 2,474,941 2.52 % Total $ 6,047,385 $ 6,040,949 2.11 % As of December 31, 2015 Held-to-Maturity Securities Amortized Fair Value Weighted- (dollars in thousands) Due within one year $ 680,330 $ 680,956 2.27 % Due after one year through five years 593,686 600,861 2.23 % Total $ 1,274,016 $ 1,281,817 2.25 %

Financial Derivatives - Financ

Financial Derivatives - Financial Derivatives (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Derivative Instruments [Table Text Block]	The following tables summarize information related to Farmer Mac's financial derivatives on a gross basis without giving consideration to master netting arrangements as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and the effects of financial derivatives on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 6.1 As of December 31, 2015 Fair Value Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Notional Amount Asset (Liability) (dollars in thousands) Fair value hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable $ 1,276,285 $ 949 $ (26,703 ) 2.35% 0.37% 4.16 Cash flow hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 119,000 8 (1,381 ) 2.25% 0.64% 7.03 No hedge designation: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 454,041 229 (44,528 ) 3.73% 0.33% 6.02 Receive fixed non-callable 5,590,638 2,384 (4,205 ) 0.31% 0.47% 0.57 Receive fixed callable 230,000 — (421 ) 0.41% 0.91% 2.26 Basis swaps 725,000 232 (131 ) 0.22% 0.38% 2.33 Treasury futures 35,000 19 — 125.96 Credit valuation adjustment (5 ) 170 Total financial derivatives $ 8,429,964 $ 3,816 $ (77,199 ) Collateral pledged — 37,986 Net amount $ 3,816 $ (39,213 ) As of December 31, 2014 Fair Value Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Weighted- Notional Amount Asset (Liability) (dollars in thousands) Fair value hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable $ 1,000,000 $ — $ (31,718 ) 2.47% 0.23% 3.98 Cash flow hedges: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 15,000 — (289 ) 2.43% 0.51% 6.23 No hedge designation: Interest rate swaps: Pay fixed non-callable 490,183 537 (51,224 ) 4.23% 0.23% 7.05 Receive fixed non-callable 3,829,355 3,414 (461 ) 0.14% 0.27% 0.55 Receive fixed callable 383,565 1 (877 ) 0.12% 1.34% 3.47 Basis swaps 1,105,000 247 (406 ) 0.11% 0.31% 2.42 Agency forwards 12,768 — (53 ) 101.00 Treasury futures 1,700 — (3 ) 126.60 Credit valuation adjustment (22 ) 187 Total financial derivatives $ 6,837,571 $ 4,177 $ (84,844 ) Collateral pledged — 46,627 Net amount $ 4,177 $ (38,217 )
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Table Text Block]	Table 6.2 Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Fair value hedges: Interest rate swaps (1) $ 5,965 $ (2,729 ) $ 29,538 Hedged items 3,100 14,520 (18,230 ) Gains on fair value hedges 9,065 11,791 11,308 Cash flow hedges: Loss recognized (ineffective portion) (551 ) (10 ) (39 ) Losses on cash flow hedges (551 ) (10 ) (39 ) No hedge designation: Interest rate swaps (3,204 ) (31,101 ) 21,394 Agency forwards (2,440 ) (1,842 ) (1,002 ) Treasury futures (339 ) (484 ) 103 (Losses)/gains on financial derivatives not designated in hedging relationships (5,983 ) (33,427 ) 20,495 Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities $ 2,531 $ (21,646 ) $ 31,764 (1) Included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness as of December 31, 2015 , but excluded from the amounts in the table, were losses of $9.2 million , for the year ended December 31, 2015 , attributable to the fair value of the swaps at the inception of the hedging relationship. Accordingly, the amounts recognized as hedge ineffectiveness for the year ended December 31, 2015 were gains of $0.1 million . The comparable amounts as of December 31, 2014 were losses of $ 11.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, attributable to the fair value of the swaps at the inception of the hedging relationship and, accordingly, losses of $ 0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, attributable to hedge ineffectiveness. The comparable amounts as of December 31, 2013 were losses of $ 11.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2013, attributable to the fair value of the swaps at the inception of the hedging relationships and, accordingly, gains of $ 0.5 million for the year ended December 2013, attributable to hedge ineffectiveness.

Notes Payable - Notes Payable

Notes Payable - Notes Payable (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Debt [Table Text Block]	The following tables set forth information related to Farmer Mac's borrowings as of December 31, 2015 and 2014: Table 7.1 December 31, 2015 Outstanding as of December 31 Average Outstanding During the Year Amount Weighted- Average Rate Amount Weighted- Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Due within one year: Discount notes $ 6,642,560 0.32 % $ 5,251,081 0.22 % Medium-term notes 595,991 0.38 % 761,998 0.25 % Current portion of long-term notes 1,872,910 1.05 % Total due within one year $ 9,111,461 0.48 % Due after one year: Medium-term notes due in: 2017 $ 1,200,558 1.02 % 2018 1,539,264 0.85 % 2019 520,284 1.73 % 2020 529,567 1.68 % Thereafter 1,177,363 3.05 % Total due after one year 4,967,036 1.59 % Total $ 14,078,497 0.87 % December 31, 2014 Outstanding as of December 31 Average Outstanding During the Year Amount Weighted- Average Rate Amount Weighted- Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Due within one year: Discount notes $ 4,925,828 0.11 % $ 4,059,708 0.15 % Medium-term notes 754,988 0.17 % 532,621 0.15 % Current portion of long-term notes 1,673,137 0.98 % $ 7,353,953 0.32 % Due after one year: Medium-term notes due in: 2016 $ 1,569,961 1.16 % 2017 1,219,192 0.90 % 2018 682,224 1.28 % 2019 872,576 1.42 % Thereafter 1,127,233 3.09 % Total due after one year 5,471,186 1.56 % Total $ 12,825,139 0.85 % The maximum amount of Farmer Mac's discount notes outstanding at any month end during each of the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $6.7 billion and $4.9 billion , respectively. Callable medium-term notes give Farmer Mac the option to redeem the debt at par value on a specified call date or at any time on or after a specified call date. The following table summarizes by maturity date the amounts and costs for Farmer Mac debt callable in 2016 as of December 31, 2015: Table 7.2 Debt Callable in 2016 as of December 31, 2015 Amount Weighted-Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Maturity: 2017 $ 103,977 0.77 % 2018 801,930 0.43 % 2019 — — % 2020 179,803 1.90 % Thereafter 219,333 2.59 % Total $ 1,305,043 1.02 %
Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments [Table Text Block]	Table 7.2 Debt Callable in 2016 as of December 31, 2015 Amount Weighted-Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Maturity: 2017 $ 103,977 0.77 % 2018 801,930 0.43 % 2019 — — % 2020 179,803 1.90 % Thereafter 219,333 2.59 % Total $ 1,305,043 1.02 % The following schedule summarizes the earliest interest rate reset date of total borrowings outstanding as of December 31, 2015, including callable and non-callable medium-term notes, assuming callable notes are redeemed at the initial call date: Table 7.3 Earliest Interest Rate Reset Date of Borrowings Outstanding Amount Weighted-Average Rate (dollars in thousands) Debt with interest rate resets in: 2016 $ 10,560,504 0.55% 2017 1,071,581 1.06% 2018 737,333 1.32% 2019 520,284 1.73% 2020 298,764 1.76% Thereafter 890,031 3.34% Total $ 14,078,497 0.87% During 2015 and 2014, Farmer Mac called $2.4 billion and $0.5 billion of callable medium-term notes, respectively.

Loans and Allowance for Losse30

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Receivables [Abstract]
Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block]	Loans Farmer Mac classifies loans as either held for investment or held for sale. Loans held for investment are recorded at the unpaid principal balance, net of unamortized premium or discount and other cost adjustments. Loans held for sale are reported at the lower of cost or fair value determined on a pooled basis. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , Farmer Mac had no loans held for sale. The following table displays the composition of the loan balances as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.1 As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Unsecuritized In Consolidated Trusts Total Unsecuritized In Consolidated Trusts Total (in thousands) Farm & Ranch $ 2,249,864 $ 708,111 $ 2,957,975 $ 2,118,867 $ 421,355 $ 2,540,222 Rural Utilities 1,008,126 — 1,008,126 718,213 267,396 985,609 Total unpaid principal balance (1) 3,257,990 708,111 3,966,101 2,837,080 688,751 3,525,831 Unamortized premiums, discounts and other cost basis adjustments 423 — 423 (3,619 ) 3,727 108 Total loans 3,258,413 708,111 3,966,524 2,833,461 692,478 3,525,939 Allowance for loan losses (3,736 ) (744 ) (4,480 ) (5,324 ) (540 ) (5,864 ) Total loans, net of allowance $ 3,254,677 $ 707,367 $ 3,962,044 $ 2,828,137 $ 691,938 $ 3,520,075 (1) Unpaid principal balance is the basis of presentation in disclosures of outstanding balances for Farmer Mac's lines of business.
Allowance for Credit Losses on Financing Receivables [Table Text Block]	Allowance for Losses Farmer Mac maintains an allowance for losses presented in two components on its consolidated balance sheets: (1) an allowance for loan losses to account for estimated probable losses on loans held, and (2) a reserve for losses to account for estimated probable losses on loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , Farmer Mac reported total allowances for losses of $6.6 million and $10.1 million , respectively. See Note 5 and Note 12 for more information about off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs. The following is a summary of the changes in the total allowance for losses for each year in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015: Table 8.2 Allowance Reserve Total (in thousands) Balance as of January 1, 2013 $ 11,351 $ 5,539 $ 16,890 (Release of)/provision for losses (481 ) 929 448 Charge-offs (4,004 ) — (4,004 ) Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 6,866 $ 6,468 $ 13,334 Release of losses (961 ) (2,205 ) (3,166 ) Charge-offs (86 ) — (86 ) Recoveries 45 — 45 Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 5,864 $ 4,263 $ 10,127 Provision for/(release of) losses 2,388 (2,180 ) 208 Charge-offs (3,772 ) — (3,772 ) Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ 4,480 $ 2,083 $ 6,563 During 2015 , Farmer Mac recorded provisions to its allowance for loan losses of $2.4 million and releases to its reserve for losses of $2.2 million . The provisions to the allowance for loan losses recorded during 2015 were primarily attributable to the establishment of a specific allowance for two Agricultural Storage and Processing loans that financed one canola facility. Farmer Mac recognized a charge-off of $3.7 million in fourth quarter 2015 on those loans. The provisions were offset by the reduction in the specific allowance for a permanent planting loan based on the updated appraised value of the collateral underlying such loan and releases to the general allowance from the reserve for losses due to substantial paydowns of Agricultural Storage and Processing loans underlying LTSPCs due to repayments of these loans at par. During 2014, Farmer Mac recorded releases from its allowance for loan losses of $1.0 million and releases from its reserve for losses of $2.2 million , primarily related to a decrease in the balance of its ethanol loans as well as a general improvement in the quality of the ethanol loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs. Farmer Mac recorded $0.1 million of charge-offs and recoveries of $45,000 to its allowance for loan losses during 2014. During 2013, Farmer Mac recorded releases from its allowance for loan losses of $0.5 million and provisions to its reserve for losses of $0.9 million . Farmer Mac also recorded $4.0 million in charge-offs to its allowance for loan losses during 2013. Charge-offs recorded during 2013 included a $3.6 million charge-off related to one ethanol loan that transitioned to real estate owned ("REO") for which Farmer Mac had previously provided a specific allowance. The following tables present the changes in the total allowance for losses for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 by commodity type: Table 8.3 December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Beginning Balance $ 2,519 $ 2,159 $ 1,423 $ 467 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 10,127 Provision for/(release of) losses 272 (1,228 ) 358 52 758 (4 ) 208 Charge-offs — — — (111 ) (3,661 ) — (3,772 ) Ending Balance $ 2,791 $ 931 $ 1,781 $ 408 $ 649 $ 3 $ 6,563 December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Beginning Balance $ 2,124 $ 2,186 $ 1,271 $ 454 $ 7,292 $ 7 $ 13,334 Provision for/(release of) losses 395 (72 ) 209 42 (3,740 ) — (3,166 ) Charge-offs — — (57 ) (29 ) — — (86 ) Recoveries — 45 — — — — 45 Ending Balance $ 2,519 $ 2,159 $ 1,423 $ 467 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 10,127
Schedule of Allowance for Losses by Impairment Method and Commodity [Table Text Block]	The following tables present the unpaid principal balances of loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and the related total allowance for losses by impairment method and commodity type as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.4 As of December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Ending Balance: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,911,039 $ 433,654 $ 444,320 $ 92,712 $ 15,944 $ 3,199 $ 2,900,868 Off-balance sheet 1,313,872 483,473 777,663 110,378 56,208 7,142 2,748,736 Total $ 3,224,911 $ 917,127 $ 1,221,983 $ 203,090 $ 72,152 $ 10,341 $ 5,649,604 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 12,803 $ 21,247 $ 5,958 $ 7,261 $ 9,838 $ — $ 57,107 Off-balance sheet 5,937 3,037 8,840 774 — — 18,588 Total $ 18,740 $ 24,284 $ 14,798 $ 8,035 $ 9,838 $ — $ 75,695 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 1,923,842 $ 454,901 $ 450,278 $ 99,973 $ 25,782 $ 3,199 $ 2,957,975 Off-balance sheet 1,319,809 486,510 786,503 111,152 56,208 7,142 2,767,324 Total $ 3,243,651 $ 941,411 $ 1,236,781 $ 211,125 $ 81,990 $ 10,341 $ 5,725,299 Allowance for Losses: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,968 $ 434 $ 702 $ 116 $ 167 $ — $ 3,387 Off-balance sheet 347 137 292 65 482 3 1,326 Total $ 2,315 $ 571 $ 994 $ 181 $ 649 $ 3 $ 4,713 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 290 $ 218 $ 384 $ 201 $ — $ — $ 1,093 Off-balance sheet 186 142 403 26 — — 757 Total $ 476 $ 360 $ 787 $ 227 $ — $ — $ 1,850 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 2,258 $ 652 $ 1,086 $ 317 $ 167 $ — $ 4,480 Off-balance sheet 533 279 695 91 482 3 2,083 Total $ 2,791 $ 931 $ 1,781 $ 408 $ 649 $ 3 $ 6,563 As of December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Ending Balance: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,621,360 $ 359,517 $ 406,049 $ 57,851 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,473,780 Off-balance sheet 1,305,141 521,535 839,286 102,857 85,357 6,781 2,860,957 Total $ 2,926,501 $ 881,052 $ 1,245,335 $ 160,708 $ 114,360 $ 6,781 $ 5,334,737 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 12,307 $ 35,904 $ 6,571 $ 11,660 $ — $ — $ 66,442 Off-balance sheet 2,458 3,239 8,712 1,586 — — 15,995 Total $ 14,765 $ 39,143 $ 15,283 $ 13,246 $ — $ — $ 82,437 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 1,633,667 $ 395,421 $ 412,620 $ 69,511 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,540,222 Off-balance sheet 1,307,599 524,774 847,998 104,443 85,357 6,781 2,876,952 Total $ 2,941,266 $ 920,195 $ 1,260,618 $ 173,954 $ 114,360 $ 6,781 $ 5,417,174 Allowance for Losses: Collectively evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 1,824 $ 495 $ 658 $ 51 $ 503 $ — $ 3,531 Off-balance sheet 298 149 404 52 3,049 7 3,959 Total $ 2,122 $ 644 $ 1,062 $ 103 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 7,490 Individually evaluated for impairment: On-balance sheet $ 283 $ 1,410 $ 328 $ 312 $ — $ — $ 2,333 Off-balance sheet 114 105 33 52 — — 304 Total $ 397 $ 1,515 $ 361 $ 364 $ — $ — $ 2,637 Total Farm & Ranch loans: On-balance sheet $ 2,107 $ 1,905 $ 986 $ 363 $ 503 $ — $ 5,864 Off-balance sheet 412 254 437 104 3,049 7 4,263 Total $ 2,519 $ 2,159 $ 1,423 $ 467 $ 3,552 $ 7 $ 10,127
Impaired Financing Receivables [Table Text Block]	The following tables present by commodity type the unpaid principal balances, recorded investment, and specific allowance for losses related to impaired loans and the recorded investment in loans on nonaccrual status as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.5 As of December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Impaired Loans: With no specific allowance: Recorded investment $ 3,772 $ 12,340 $ 5,644 $ 1,851 $ — $ — $ 23,607 Unpaid principal balance 3,720 12,346 5,645 1,851 — — 23,562 With a specific allowance: Recorded investment (1) 15,103 11,939 9,050 6,185 9,838 — 52,115 Unpaid principal balance 15,020 11,938 9,153 6,184 9,838 — 52,133 Associated allowance 476 360 787 227 — — 1,850 Total: Recorded investment 18,875 24,279 14,694 8,036 9,838 — 75,722 Unpaid principal balance 18,740 24,284 14,798 8,035 9,838 — 75,695 Associated allowance 476 360 787 227 — — 1,850 Recorded investment of loans on nonaccrual status (2) $ 5,105 $ 16,546 $ 4,313 $ 5,870 $ 9,838 $ — $ 41,672 (1) Impairment analysis was performed in the aggregate in consideration of similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics on $46.4 million ( 61 percent ) of impaired loans as of December 31, 2015 , which resulted in a specific reserve of $1.0 million . (2) Includes $14.7 million of loans that are less than 90 days delinquent but which have not met Farmer Mac's performance criteria for returning to accrual status. As of December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Impaired Loans: With no specific allowance: Recorded investment $ 4,877 $ 5,837 $ 9,576 $ 2,001 $ — $ — $ 22,291 Unpaid principal balance 4,723 5,750 9,386 1,981 — — 21,840 With a specific allowance: Recorded investment (1) 10,753 33,690 5,979 11,350 — — 61,772 Unpaid principal balance 10,042 33,393 5,897 11,265 — — 60,597 Associated allowance 397 1,515 361 364 — — 2,637 Total: Recorded investment 15,630 39,527 15,555 13,351 — — 84,063 Unpaid principal balance 14,765 39,143 15,283 13,246 — — 82,437 Associated allowance 397 1,515 361 364 — — 2,637 Recorded investment of loans on nonaccrual status (2) $ 5,168 $ 14,413 $ 4,438 $ 6,133 $ — $ — $ 30,152 (1) Impairment analysis was performed in the aggregate in consideration of similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics on $54.4 million ( 65 percent ) of impaired loans as of December 31, 2014 , which resulted in a specific reserve of $1.2 million . (2) Includes $11.7 million of loans that are less than 90 days delinquent but which have not met Farmer Mac's performance criteria for returning to accrual status. The following table presents by commodity type the average recorded investment and interest income recognized on impaired loans for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.6 December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Average recorded investment in impaired loans $ 22,315 $ 36,326 $ 14,077 $ 10,605 $ 7,368 $ — $ 90,691 Income recognized on impaired loans 381 472 353 308 — — 1,514 December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) For the Year Ended: Average recorded investment in impaired loans $ 20,625 $ 43,221 $ 13,543 $ 12,596 $ — $ 24 $ 90,009 Income recognized on impaired loans 373 474 327 359 — — 1,533
Schedule of Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Acquired During Period [Table Text Block]	The following tables present information related to Farmer Mac's acquisition of defaulted loans for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 and the outstanding balances and carrying amounts of all such loans as of December 31, 2015 , 2014, and 2013: Table 8.7 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Unpaid principal balance at acquisition date: Loans underlying LTSPCs $ 13,500 $ 705 $ 37 Loans underlying off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 3,407 — 6,667 Total unpaid principal balance at acquisition date 16,907 705 6,704 Contractually required payments receivable 17,036 705 6,907 Impairment recognized subsequent to acquisition 3,772 69 477 Recovery/release of allowance for defaulted loans 1,019 233 949 As of December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Outstanding balance $ 36,195 $ 24,921 $ 32,838 Carrying amount 34,015 22,149 29,613
Past Due Financing Receivables [Table Text Block]	Net credit losses and 90 -day delinquencies as of and for the periods indicated for loans held and loans underlying off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs are presented in the table below. As of December 31, 2015 , there were no delinquencies and no probable losses inherent in Farmer Mac's Rural Utilities loan portfolio and Farmer Mac had not experienced credit losses on any Rural Utilities loans. Table 8.8 90-Day Delinquencies (1) Net Credit Losses As of December 31, For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) On-balance sheet assets: Farm & Ranch: Loans $ 26,935 $ 18,427 $ 3,853 $ (6 ) $ 2,975 Total on-balance sheet $ 26,935 $ 18,427 $ 3,853 $ (6 ) $ 2,975 Off-balance sheet assets: Farm & Ranch: LTSPCs $ 5,201 $ 490 $ — $ — $ — Total off-balance sheet $ 5,201 $ 490 $ — $ — $ — Total $ 32,136 $ 18,917 $ 3,853 $ (6 ) $ 2,975 (1) 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, excluding loans performing under either their original loan terms or a court-approved bankruptcy plan. Of the $26.9 million and $18.4 million of on-balance sheet loans reported as 90 -day delinquencies as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, none and $1.8 million , respectively,were loans subject to "removal-of-account" provisions.
Financing Receivable Credit Quality Indicators [Table Text Block]	Credit Quality Indicators Farmer Mac analyzes credit risk related to loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities based on internally assigned loan scores (i.e., risk ratings) that are derived by taking into consideration such factors as historical repayment performance, indicators of current financial condition, loan seasoning, loan size, and loan-to-value ratio. Loans are then classified into one of the following asset categories based on their underlying risk rating: acceptable; other assets especially mentioned; and substandard. Farmer Mac believes this analysis provides meaningful information regarding the credit risk profile of its Farm & Ranch portfolio as of each quarterly reporting period end date. Farmer Mac also uses 90-day delinquency information to evaluate its credit risk exposure on these assets because historically it has been the best measure of borrower credit quality deterioration. Most of the loans held and underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities have annual (January 1) or semi-annual (January 1 and July 1) payment dates and are supported by less frequent and less predictable revenue sources, such as the cash flows generated from the maturation of crops, sales of livestock, and government farm support programs. Taking into account the reduced frequency of payment due dates and revenue sources, Farmer Mac considers 90-day delinquency to be the most significant observation point when evaluating delinquency information. The following tables present credit quality indicators related to Farm & Ranch loans held and loans underlying LTSPCs and off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 8.9 As of December 31, 2015 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Credit risk profile by internally assigned grade (1) On-balance sheet: Acceptable $ 1,888,762 $ 431,038 $ 409,003 $ 89,541 $ 15,944 $ 3,199 $ 2,837,487 Special mention (2) 22,255 2,616 35,317 2,918 — — 63,106 Substandard (3) 12,825 21,247 5,958 7,514 9,838 — 57,382 Total on-balance sheet $ 1,923,842 $ 454,901 $ 450,278 $ 99,973 $ 25,782 $ 3,199 $ 2,957,975 Off-Balance Sheet: Acceptable $ 1,279,454 $ 473,335 $ 753,472 $ 102,990 $ 56,208 $ 6,517 $ 2,671,976 Special mention (2) 24,422 7,226 13,121 2,938 — 523 48,230 Substandard (3) 15,933 5,949 19,910 5,224 — 102 47,118 Total off-balance sheet $ 1,319,809 $ 486,510 $ 786,503 $ 111,152 $ 56,208 $ 7,142 $ 2,767,324 Total Ending Balance: Acceptable $ 3,168,216 $ 904,373 $ 1,162,475 $ 192,531 $ 72,152 $ 9,716 $ 5,509,463 Special mention (2) 46,677 9,842 48,438 5,856 — 523 111,336 Substandard (3) 28,758 27,196 25,868 12,738 9,838 102 104,500 Total $ 3,243,651 $ 941,411 $ 1,236,781 $ 211,125 $ 81,990 $ 10,341 $ 5,725,299 Commodity analysis of past due loans (1) On-balance sheet $ 4,656 $ 7,405 $ 2,517 $ 2,519 $ 9,838 $ — $ 26,935 Off-balance sheet 511 — 4,542 148 — — 5,201 90 days or more past due $ 5,167 $ 7,405 $ 7,059 $ 2,667 $ 9,838 $ — $ 32,136 (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) Assets in the "Special mention" category generally have potential weaknesses due to performance issues but are currently considered to be adequately secured. (3) 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. As of December 31, 2014 Crops Permanent Livestock Part-time Ag. Storage and Other Total (in thousands) Credit risk profile by internally assigned grade (1) On-balance sheet: Acceptable $ 1,604,546 $ 353,487 $ 375,010 $ 57,239 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,419,285 Special mention (2) 16,814 6,030 31,039 612 — — 54,495 Substandard (3) 12,307 35,904 6,571 11,660 — — 66,442 Total on-balance sheet $ 1,633,667 $ 395,421 $ 412,620 $ 69,511 $ 29,003 $ — $ 2,540,222 Off-Balance Sheet Acceptable $ 1,282,773 $ 503,414 $ 799,047 $ 97,692 $ 64,363 $ 6,117 $ 2,753,406 Special mention (2) 13,603 12,150 30,281 1,351 — 8 57,393 Substandard (3) 11,223 9,210 18,670 5,400 20,994 656 66,153 Total off-balance sheet $ 1,307,599 $ 524,774 $ 847,998 $ 104,443 $ 85,357 $ 6,781 $ 2,876,952 Total Ending Balance: Acceptable $ 2,887,319 $ 856,901 $ 1,174,057 $ 154,931 $ 93,366 $ 6,117 $ 5,172,691 Special mention (2) 30,417 18,180 61,320 1,963 — 8 111,888 Substandard (3) 23,530 45,114 25,241 17,060 20,994 656 132,595 Total $ 2,941,266 $ 920,195 $ 1,260,618 $ 173,954 $ 114,360 $ 6,781 $ 5,417,174 Commodity analysis of past due loans (1) On-balance sheet $ 4,175 $ 6,869 $ 4,555 $ 2,828 $ — $ — $ 18,427 Off-balance sheet — — 490 — — — 490 90 days or more past due $ 4,175 $ 6,869 $ 5,045 $ 2,828 $ — $ — $ 18,917 (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) Assets in the "Special mention" category generally have potential weaknesses due to performance issues but are currently considered to be adequately secured. (3) 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.
Schedules of Concentration of Risk, by Risk Factor [Table Text Block]	Concentrations of Credit Risk The following table sets forth the geographic and commodity/collateral diversification, as well as the range of original loan-to-value ratios, for all Farm & Ranch loans held and loans underlying off-balance sheet Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities and LTSPCs as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 : Table 8.10 As of December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 (in thousands) By commodity/collateral type: Crops $ 3,243,651 $ 2,941,266 Permanent plantings 941,411 920,195 Livestock 1,236,781 1,260,618 Part-time farm 211,125 173,954 Ag. Storage and Processing 81,990 114,360 Other 10,341 6,781 Total $ 5,725,299 $ 5,417,174 By geographic region (1) : Northwest $ 582,127 $ 573,135 Southwest 1,726,927 1,753,606 Mid-North 2,009,654 1,873,041 Mid-South 769,831 627,615 Northeast 215,883 214,402 Southeast 420,877 375,375 Total $ 5,725,299 $ 5,417,174 By original loan-to-value ratio: 0.00% to 40.00% $ 1,594,818 $ 1,503,076 40.01% to 50.00% 1,279,321 1,191,804 50.01% to 60.00% 1,593,025 1,491,502 60.01% to 70.00% 1,107,710 1,091,759 70.01% to 80.00% 126,860 115,645 80.01% to 90.00% 23,565 23,388 Total $ 5,725,299 $ 5,417,174 (1) 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). The original loan-to-value ratio is calculated by dividing the loan principal balance at the time of guarantee, purchase, or commitment by the appraised value at the date of loan origination or, when available, the updated appraised value at the time of guarantee, purchase, or commitment. Current loan-to-value ratios may be higher or lower than the original loan-to-value ratios.

Equity - Equity (Tables)

Equity - Equity (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]	The following tables summarize stock options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock activity for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 9.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Stock Weighted- Stock Weighted- Stock Weighted- Outstanding, beginning of year 718,143 $ 25.12 664,245 $ 23.78 788,748 $ 20.89 Granted 119,110 32.25 87,600 34.92 94,017 31.24 Exercised (86,680 ) 21.32 (23,035 ) 20.83 (208,877 ) 16.24 Canceled (3,000 ) 30.05 (10,667 ) 31.16 (9,643 ) 23.02 Outstanding, end of year 747,573 26.68 718,143 25.12 664,245 23.78 Exercisable at end of year 543,698 24.34 548,180 23.12 483,216 22.83 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Non-vested Weighted- Non-vested Weighted- Non-vested Weighted- Outstanding, beginning of year 103,772 $ 31.24 98,285 $ 27.66 91,311 $ 18.75 Granted 76,616 32.14 57,590 33.88 73,985 30.27 Canceled — — (8,360 ) 21.72 (1,000 ) 31.42 Vested and issued (47,737 ) 30.25 (43,743 ) 28.48 (66,011 ) 18.21 Outstanding, end of year 132,651 32.12 103,772 31.24 98,285 27.66
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, by Exercise Price Range [Table Text Block]	The following tables summarize information regarding stock options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock outstanding as of December 31, 2015: Table 9.2 Outstanding Exercisable Vested or Expected to Vest Range of Stock Options and SARs Weighted- Stock Options and SARs Weighted- Stock Options and SARs Weighted- $5.00 - $9.99 18,666 3.3 years 18,666 3.3 years 18,666 3.3 years 10.00 - 14.99 66,665 4.4 years 66,665 4.4 years 66,665 4.4 years 15.00 - 19.99 62,000 5.4 years 62,000 5.4 years 62,000 5.4 years 20.00 - 24.99 100,500 5.1 years 100,500 5.1 years 100,500 5.1 years 25.00 - 29.99 191,009 1.9 years 187,009 1.7 years 190,809 1.9 years 30.00 - 34.99 250,733 7.8 years 90,864 6.1 years 241,931 7.8 years 35.00 - 39.99 58,000 8.2 years 17,994 8.3 years 56,280 8.2 years 747,573 543,698 736,851 Outstanding Expected to Vest Weighted- Non-vested Restricted Stock Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Non-vested Restricted Stock Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual $25.00 - $29.99 6,778 2.1 years 6,439 2.1 years 30.00 - 34.99 124,324 1.2 years 117,990 1.2 years 35.00 - 39.99 1,549 1.2 years 1,487 1.2 years 132,651 125,916
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]	The fair values of stock options and SARs were estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model based on the following assumptions: Table 9.3 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Risk-free interest rate 1.2% 1.5% 0.6% Expected years until exercise 4 years 4 years 4 years Expected stock volatility 38.0% 49.7% 83.4% Dividend yield 2.0% 1.6% 1.5%

Income Taxes - Income Taxes (T

Income Taxes - Income Taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]	Table 10.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Current income tax expense $ 30,247 $ 9,803 $ 27,082 Deferred income tax (benefit)/expense 3,992 (6,979 ) 6,670 Income tax expense $ 34,239 $ 2,824 $ 33,752
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]	A reconciliation of tax at the statutory federal tax rate to the income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 is as follows: Table 10.2 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (dollars in thousands) Tax expense at statutory rate $ 37,827 $ 25,587 $ 45,943 Non-taxable dividend income — (1,587 ) (2,116 ) Income from non-controlling interest (1,874 ) (7,766 ) (7,766 ) Loss on retirement of preferred stock (1,901 ) — — Valuation allowance 33 (13,542 ) (2,693 ) Other 154 132 384 Income tax expense $ 34,239 $ 2,824 $ 33,752 Statutory tax rate 35.0 % 35.0 % 35.0 %
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]	The components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows: Table 10.3 As of December 31, 2015 2014 (in thousands) Deferred tax assets: Basis differences related to financial derivatives $ 28,395 $ 30,921 Basis differences related to securities 2,866 4,218 Unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities 5,660 — Allowance for losses 2,297 3,545 Stock-based compensation 2,833 2,443 Capital loss carryforwards and other than temporary impairment 2,099 2,105 Valuation allowance (2,099 ) (2,105 ) Other 1,444 1,205 Total deferred tax assets 43,495 42,332 Deferred tax liability: Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities — 8,448 Basis difference in subsidiary 300 195 Other 279 298 Total deferred tax liability 579 8,941 Net deferred tax asset $ 42,916 $ 33,391
Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits Roll Forward [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Farmer Mac did not identify any uncertain tax positions. The following table presents the changes in unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 10.4 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Beginning balance $ — $ 1,148 $ 1,046 Decreases based on tax positions related to prior years — (1,148 ) — Increases based on tax positions related to current year — — 102 Ending balance $ — $ — $ 1,148 The resolution of the unrecognized tax benefits presented above represented temporary differences and, therefore, would not result in a change to Farmer Mac's effective tax rate. As of December 31, 2013, accrued interest payable and the associated interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits was immaterial and was presented as a component of income taxes. Farmer Mac does not expect to be subject to, and has not recorded tax penalties. During 2014, the IRS examined Farmer Mac's uncertain tax positions reported in its 2011 tax return; as a result of the examination, Farmer Mac concluded it does not currently have any uncertain tax positions. Tax years 2013 through 2015 remain subject to examination.

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees 33

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments - Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Guarantee Obligations Activity [Table Text Block]	The contractual terms of Farmer Mac's guarantees range from less than 1 year to 30 years . However, the actual term of each guarantee may be significantly less than the contractual term based on the prepayment characteristics of the related agricultural real estate mortgage loans. Farmer Mac's maximum potential exposure under these guarantees is comprised of the unpaid principal balance of the underlying agricultural real estate mortgage loans. Guarantees issued or modified on or after January 1, 2003 are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets. Farmer Mac's maximum potential exposure was $4.5 billion and $3.8 billion as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Farmer Mac's maximum potential exposure for guarantees issued prior to January 1, 2003, which are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheets, was $56.2 million and $70.6 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The maximum exposure from these guarantees is not representative of the actual loss Farmer Mac is likely to incur, based on historical loss experience. In the event Farmer Mac was required to make payments under its guarantees, Farmer Mac would have the right to enforce the terms of the loans, and in the event of default, would have access to the underlying collateral. For information on Farmer Mac's methodology for determining the reserve for losses for its financial guarantees, see Note 2(j) and Note 8. The following table presents changes in Farmer Mac's guarantee and commitment obligations in the consolidated balance sheets for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013: Table 12.1 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Beginning balance, January 1 $ 37,925 $ 39,667 $ 37,803 Additions to the guarantee and commitment obligation (1) 8,207 4,966 8,414 Amortization of the guarantee and commitment obligation (7,523 ) (6,708 ) (6,550 ) Ending balance, December 31 $ 38,609 $ 37,925 $ 39,667 (1) Represents the fair value of the guarantee and commitment obligation at inception.
Schedule of Guarantor Obligations [Table Text Block]	The following table presents the maximum principal amount of potential undiscounted future payments that Farmer Mac could be required to make under all off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , not including offsets provided by any recourse provisions, recoveries from third parties, or collateral for the underlying loans: Table 12.2 Outstanding Balance of Off-Balance Sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 (in thousands) Farm & Ranch: Guaranteed Securities $ 514,051 $ 636,086 USDA Guarantees: Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 10,272 13,978 Institutional Credit: AgVantage Securities 984,871 986,528 Revolving floating rate AgVantage facility (1) 300,000 — Total off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities $ 1,809,194 $ 1,636,592
Schedule of Cash Flows Related To Transfer of Securitizations [Table Text Block]	If Farmer Mac repurchases a loan that is collateral for a Farmer Mac Guaranteed Security, Farmer Mac would have the right to enforce the terms of the loan, and in the event of a default, would have access to the underlying collateral. Farmer Mac typically recovers its investment in the defaulted loans purchased either through borrower payments, loan payoffs, payments by third parties, or foreclosure and sale of the property securing the loans. Farmer Mac has recourse to the USDA for any amounts advanced for the timely payment of principal and interest on Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities. That recourse is the USDA guarantee, a full faith and credit obligation of the United States that becomes enforceable if a lender fails to repurchase the USDA-guaranteed portion from its owner within 30 days after written demand from the owner when (a) the borrower under the guaranteed loan is in default not less than 60 days in the payment of any principal or interest due on the USDA-guaranteed portion, or (b) the lender has failed to remit to the owner the payment made by the borrower on the USDA-guaranteed portion or any related loan subsidy within 30 days after the lender's receipt of the payment. Eligible loans and other eligible assets may be placed into trusts that are used as vehicles for the securitization of the transferred assets and the Farmer Mac-guaranteed beneficial interests in the trusts are sold to investors. The following table summarizes the significant cash flows received from and paid to trusts used for Farmer Mac securitizations: Table 12.3 For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 (in thousands) Proceeds from new securitizations $ 336,913 $ 175,754 $ 150,417 Guarantee fees received 4,028 4,612 5,182 Purchases of assets from the trusts (3,407 ) — (6,667 ) Farmer Mac has recorded a liability for its obligation to stand ready under the guarantee in the guarantee and commitment obligation on the consolidated balance sheets. This liability approximated $8.3 million as of December 31, 2015 and $11.1 million as of December 31, 2014 . As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the weighted-average remaining maturity of all loans underlying off-balance sheet Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, excluding AgVantage securities, was 11.3 years and 12.0 years , respectively. As of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 , the weighted-average remaining maturity of the off-balance sheet AgVantage securities was 1.7 years and 2.4 years , respectively.
Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]	The future minimum lease payments under Farmer Mac's non-cancellable leases for its office space and other contractual obligations as of December 31, 2015 are as follows: Table 12.4 Future Minimum Lease Payments Other Contractual Obligations (in thousands) 2016 $ 1,392 $ 996 2017 1,412 356 2018 1,388 — 2019 1,389 — 2020 1,423 — Thereafter 5,527 — Total $ 12,531 $ 1,352 Other contractual obligations in the table above include minimum amounts due under non-cancellable agreements to purchase goods or services that are enforceable and legally binding and specify all significant terms. These agreements include, among others, agreements for the provision of consulting services, information technology support, equipment maintenance, and financial analysis software and services. The amounts actually paid under these agreements will likely be higher due to the variable components of some of these agreements under which the ultimate obligation owed is determined by reference to actual usage or hours worked.

Fair Value Disclosures - Fair

Fair Value Disclosures - Fair Value Disclosures (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring [Table Text Block]	The following tables present information about Farmer Mac's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring and nonrecurring basis as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , respectively, and indicate the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques used by Farmer Mac to determine such fair value: Table 13.1 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value as of December 31, 2015 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 44,924 $ 44,924 Floating rate asset-backed securities — 73,729 — 73,729 Floating rate corporate debt securities — 9,991 — 9,991 Fixed rate corporate debt securities — 9,994 — 9,994 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 1,355,459 — 1,355,459 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 7,904 — 7,904 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — 66,249 — 66,249 Fixed rate senior agency debt — 213,987 — 213,987 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 992,788 — — 992,788 Total available-for-sale 992,788 1,737,313 44,924 2,775,025 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities — — 491 491 Total trading — — 491 491 Total Investment Securities 992,788 1,737,313 45,415 2,775,516 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage — — 4,121,244 4,121,244 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities — — 31,361 31,361 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities — — 4,152,605 4,152,605 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale — — 1,888,344 1,888,344 Trading — — 28,975 28,975 Total USDA Securities — — 1,917,319 1,917,319 Financial derivatives 19 3,797 — 3,816 Total Assets at fair value $ 992,807 $ 1,741,110 $ 6,115,339 $ 8,849,256 Liabilities: Financial derivatives $ — $ 77,199 $ — $ 77,199 Total Liabilities at fair value $ — $ 77,199 $ — $ 77,199 Nonrecurring: Assets: Loans held for investment $ — $ — $ 11,443 $ 11,443 REO — — 388 388 Total Nonrecurring Assets at fair value $ — $ — $ 11,831 $ 11,831 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value as of December 31, 2014 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ — $ — $ 40,576 $ 40,576 Floating rate asset-backed securities — 100,902 — 100,902 Floating rate corporate debt securities — 10,091 — 10,091 Fixed rate corporate debt — 30,025 — 30,025 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 612,753 — 612,753 Fixed rate GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 8,202 — 8,202 Floating rate GSE subordinated debt — 66,320 — 66,320 Fixed rate senior agency debt — 18,939 — 18,939 Floating rate U.S. Treasuries 74,979 — — 74,979 Fixed rate U.S. Treasuries 975,712 — — 975,712 Total available-for-sale 1,050,691 847,232 40,576 1,938,499 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities — — 689 689 Total trading — — 689 689 Total Investment Securities 1,050,691 847,232 41,265 1,939,188 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage — — 3,631,662 3,631,662 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities — — 27,619 27,619 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities — — 3,659,281 3,659,281 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale — — 1,731,222 1,731,222 Trading — — 40,310 40,310 Total USDA Guaranteed Securities — — 1,771,532 1,771,532 Financial derivatives — 4,177 — 4,177 Total Assets at fair value $ 1,050,691 $ 851,409 $ 5,472,078 $ 7,374,178 Liabilities: Financial derivatives $ 3 $ 84,841 $ — $ 84,844 Total Liabilities at fair value $ 3 $ 84,841 $ — $ 84,844 Nonrecurring: Assets: Loans held for investment $ — $ — $ 5,973 $ 5,973 Total Nonrecurring Assets at fair value $ — $ — $ 5,973 $ 5,973
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]	The following tables present additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis for which Farmer Mac has used significant unobservable inputs to determine fair value. Net transfers in and/or out of level 3 are based on the fair values of the assets and liabilities as of the beginning of the reporting period. There were no liabilities measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs during the year ended December 31, 2015 . Table 13.2 Level 3 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value for the Year Ended December 31, 2015 Beginning Purchases Sales Settlements Realized and Unrealized Ending (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 40,576 $ — $ — $ — $ (100 ) $ 4,448 $ 44,924 Total available-for-sale 40,576 — — — (100 ) 4,448 44,924 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities (1) 689 — — (657 ) 459 — 491 Total trading 689 — — (657 ) 459 — 491 Total Investment Securities 41,265 — — (657 ) 359 4,448 45,415 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage 3,631,662 678,566 — (138,687 ) 3,090 (53,387 ) 4,121,244 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 27,619 13,314 — (9,482 ) — (90 ) 31,361 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 3,659,281 691,880 — (148,169 ) 3,090 (53,477 ) 4,152,605 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale 1,731,222 363,621 — (233,385 ) — 26,886 1,888,344 Trading (2) 40,310 — — (12,096 ) 761 — 28,975 Total USDA Securities 1,771,532 363,621 — (245,481 ) 761 26,886 1,917,319 Total Assets at fair value $ 5,472,078 $ 1,055,501 $ — $ (394,307 ) $ 4,210 $ (22,143 ) $ 6,115,339 (1) Unrealized gains are attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2015 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (2) Includes unrealized gains of $0.9 million attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2015 that are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." Level 3 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value for the Year Ended December 31, 2014 Beginning Purchases Sales Settlements Realized and Unrealized Transfers Out Ending (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 65,285 $ — $ (26,675 ) $ — $ (825 ) $ 2,791 $ — $ 40,576 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities 205 — — (205 ) — — — — Total available-for-sale 65,490 — (26,675 ) (205 ) (825 ) 2,791 — 40,576 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities (1) 928 — — (685 ) 446 — — 689 Total trading 928 — — (685 ) 446 — — 689 Total Investment Securities 66,418 — (26,675 ) (890 ) (379 ) 2,791 — 41,265 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage (2) 5,070,366 1,091,475 — (922,908 ) 14,520 10,995 (1,632,786 ) 3,631,662 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 21,234 7,627 — (808 ) — (434 ) — 27,619 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 5,091,600 1,099,102 — (923,716 ) 14,520 10,561 (1,632,786 ) 3,659,281 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale 1,553,669 335,359 — (209,400 ) — 51,594 — 1,731,222 Trading (3) 58,344 — — (19,185 ) 1,151 — — 40,310 Total USDA Securities 1,612,013 335,359 — (228,585 ) 1,151 51,594 — 1,771,532 Total Assets at fair value $ 6,770,031 $ 1,434,461 $ (26,675 ) $ (1,153,191 ) $ 15,292 $ 64,946 $ (1,632,786 ) $ 5,472,078 Liabilities: Financial derivatives $ (235 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 235 $ — $ — $ — $ (235 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 235 $ — $ — $ — (1) Unrealized gains are attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2014 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (2) Includes $1.6 billion of AgVantage securities transferred from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity on January 1, 2014 and $20.7 million of AgVantage securities purchased during 2014 transferred from available-for-sale to held-to-maturity. (3) Includes unrealized gains of $1.8 million attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2014 that are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." Level 3 Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value for the the Year Ended December 31, 2013 Beginning Purchases Sales Settlements Realized and Unrealized Ending (in thousands) Recurring: Assets: Investment Securities: Available-for-sale: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 63,159 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 2,126 $ 65,285 Floating rate Government/GSE guaranteed mortgage-backed securities — 233 — (24 ) — (4 ) 205 Total available-for-sale 63,159 233 — (24 ) — 2,122 65,490 Trading: Floating rate asset-backed securities (1) 1,247 — — (774 ) 455 — 928 Total trading 1,247 — — (774 ) 455 — 928 Total Investment Securities 64,406 233 — (798 ) 455 2,122 66,418 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: Available-for-sale: AgVantage 4,739,577 1,273,500 — (844,437 ) (18,230 ) (80,044 ) 5,070,366 Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities 26,681 — — (5,214 ) — (233 ) 21,234 Total Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 4,766,258 1,273,500 — (849,651 ) (18,230 ) (80,277 ) 5,091,600 USDA Securities: Available-for-sale 1,486,595 361,894 — (234,035 ) — (60,785 ) 1,553,669 Trading (2) 104,188 — — (44,570 ) (1,274 ) — 58,344 Total USDA Securities 1,590,783 361,894 — (278,605 ) (1,274 ) (60,785 ) 1,612,013 Total Assets at fair value $ 6,421,447 $ 1,635,627 $ — $ (1,129,054 ) $ (19,049 ) $ (138,940 ) $ 6,770,031 Liabilities: Financial derivatives (3) $ (691 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 456 $ — $ (235 ) Total Liabilities at fair value $ (691 ) $ — $ — $ — $ 456 $ — $ (235 ) (1) Unrealized gains are attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2013 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (2) Includes unrealized gains of $0.5 million attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2013 that are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on trading securities ." (3) Unrealized gains are attributable to liabilities still held as of December 31, 2013 and are recorded in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities ."
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Table Text Block]	The following tables present additional information about the significant unobservable inputs, such as discount rates and constant prepayment rates ("CPR"), used in the fair value measurements categorized in level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 . Table 13.3 As of December 31, 2015 Financial Instruments Fair Value Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Range (Weighted-Average) (in thousands) Assets: Investment securities: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 44,924 Indicative bids Range of broker quotes 92.0% - 99.6% (96.6%) Floating rate asset-backed securities $ 491 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 18.3% - 23.9% (21.5%) CPR 10.0% Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: AgVantage $ 4,121,244 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.1% - 3.3% (1.8%) Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities $ 31,361 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.0% - 3.9% (1.8%) CPR 9% - 20% (10.0%) USDA Securities $ 1,917,319 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.3% - 5.1% (3.1%) CPR 0% - 19% (7.0%) As of December 31, 2014 Financial Instruments Fair Value Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Range (Weighted-Average) (in thousands) Assets: Investment securities: Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans $ 40,576 Indicative bids Range of broker quotes 82.0% - 94.0% (87.1%) Floating rate asset-backed securities $ 689 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 14.3% - 23.9% (19.1%) CPR 10.0% Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: AgVantage $ 3,631,662 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 0.7% - 2.7% (1.3%) Farmer Mac Guaranteed USDA Securities $ 27,619 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 0.8% - 3.6% (1.9%) CPR 0% - 21% (9.0%) USDA Securities $ 1,771,532 Discounted cash flow Discount rate 1.1% - 5.3% (3.2%) CPR 0% - 20% (8.0%)
Fair Value, by Balance Sheet Grouping [Table Text Block]	The following table sets forth the estimated fair values and carrying values for financial assets, liabilities, and guarantees and commitments as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 : Table 13.4 As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Fair Value Carrying Fair Value Carrying (in thousands) Financial assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,210,084 $ 1,210,084 $ 1,363,387 $ 1,363,387 Investment securities 2,775,516 2,775,516 1,939,188 1,939,188 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 5,434,422 5,426,621 5,459,857 5,453,901 USDA Securities 1,917,319 1,917,319 1,771,532 1,771,532 Loans 4,027,660 3,962,044 3,547,424 3,520,075 Financial derivatives 3,816 3,816 4,177 4,177 Guarantee and commitment fees receivable: LTSPCs 31,953 31,240 29,095 27,807 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 8,872 8,949 11,876 11,655 Financial liabilities: Notes payable: Due within one year 9,108,468 9,111,461 7,357,770 7,353,953 Due after one year 5,009,310 4,967,036 5,556,570 5,471,186 Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties 713,316 713,536 423,085 424,214 Financial derivatives 77,199 77,199 84,844 84,844 Guarantee and commitment obligations: LTSPCs 31,015 30,301 28,130 26,843 Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities 8,230 8,308 11,303 11,082 The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents is a reasonable estimate of their approximate fair value and is classified as level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. Investment securities primarily are valued based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and are classified as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. Farmer Mac internally models the fair value of its loan portfolio, including loans held for sale, loans held for investment and loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities, and USDA Securities by discounting the projected cash flows of these instruments at projected interest rates. The fair values are based on the present value of expected cash flows using management's best estimate of certain key assumptions, which include prepayment speeds, forward yield curves and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved. These fair value measurements do not take into consideration the fair value of the underlying property and are classified as level 3 within the fair value hierarchy. Financial derivatives primarily are valued using unadjusted counterparty valuations and are classified as level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of the guarantee fees receivable/obligation and debt securities of consolidated trusts are estimated based on the present value of expected future cash flows of the underlying mortgage assets using management's best estimate of certain key assumptions, which include prepayments speeds, forward yield curves, and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved and are classified as level 3 within the fair value hierarchy. Notes payable are valued by discounting the expected cash flows of these instruments using a yield curve derived from market prices observed for similar agency securities and are also classified as level 3 within the fair value hierarchy. Because the cash flows of Farmer Mac's financial instruments may be interest rate path dependent, estimated fair values and projected discount rates for level 3 financial instruments are derived using a Monte Carlo simulation model. Different market assumptions and estimation methodologies could significantly affect estimated fair value amounts.

Business Segment Reporting - B

Business Segment Reporting - Business Segment Reporting (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]	The following tables present core earnings for Farmer Mac's reportable operating segments and a reconciliation to consolidated net income for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013: Table 14.1 Core Earnings by Business Segment For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Utilities Institutional Credit Corporate Reconciling Consolidated Net Income (in thousands) Interest income (1) $ 90,578 $ 59,902 $ 26,819 $ 76,487 $ 13,338 $ (2,301 ) $ 264,823 Interest income related to consolidated trusts owned by third parties reclassified to guarantee fee income (3,078 ) — — — — 3,078 — Interest expense (2) (48,696 ) (42,063 ) (15,425 ) (33,032 ) (5,450 ) 5,650 (139,016 ) Net effective spread 38,804 17,839 11,394 43,455 7,888 6,427 125,807 Guarantee and commitment fees 15,076 17 397 1,665 — (3,078 ) 14,077 Other income/(expense) (3) 1,040 100 25 — (1,972 ) 6,871 6,064 Non-interest income/(loss) 16,116 117 422 1,665 (1,972 ) 3,793 20,141 Provision for loan losses (2,388 ) — — — — — (2,388 ) Release of Losses 2,180 — — — — — 2,180 Other non-interest expense (16,876 ) (3,449 ) (3,364 ) (2,109 ) (11,864 ) — (37,662 ) Non-interest expense (4) (14,696 ) (3,449 ) (3,364 ) (2,109 ) (11,864 ) — (35,482 ) Core earnings before income taxes 37,836 14,507 8,452 43,011 (5,948 ) 10,220 (5) 108,078 Income tax (expense)/benefit (13,188 ) (5,176 ) (2,947 ) (15,054 ) 3,803 (1,677 ) (34,239 ) Core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest 24,648 9,331 5,505 27,957 (2,145 ) 8,543 (5) 73,839 Preferred stock dividends — — — — (13,182 ) — (13,182 ) Non-controlling interest — — — — (5,139 ) — (5,139 ) Loss on retirement of preferred stock — — — — — (8,147 ) (8,147 ) Segment core earnings/(losses) $ 24,648 $ 9,331 $ 5,505 $ 27,957 $ (20,466 ) $ 396 (5) $ 47,371 Total assets at carrying value $ 3,041,386 $ 1,977,609 $ 1,019,279 $ 5,420,195 $ 4,081,885 $ — $ 15,540,354 Total on- and off-balance sheet program assets at principal balance 5,725,299 1,918,277 1,530,990 6,724,254 — 15,898,820 (1) Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts. (2) Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " on the consolidated financial statements. (3) Includes reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets. Also includes a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities. (4) Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount. (5) Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively. Core Earnings by Business Segment For the Year Ended December 31, 2014 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Institutional Credit Corporate Reconciling Adjustments Consolidated Net Income (in thousands) Interest income (1) $ 78,934 $ 54,955 $ 27,879 $ 77,512 $ 17,637 $ (15,850 ) $ 241,067 Interest income related to consolidated trusts owned by third parties reclassified to guarantee fee income (2,086 ) — — — — 2,086 — Interest expense (2) (45,025 ) (36,689 ) (17,138 ) (38,456 ) (3,830 ) (29,582 ) (170,720 ) Net effective spread 31,823 18,266 10,741 39,056 13,807 (43,346 ) 70,347 Guarantee and commitment fees 15,107 134 — 1,539 — (2,086 ) 14,694 Other income/(expense) (3) 762 63 9 — (4,913 ) 22,675 18,596 Non-interest income/(loss) 15,869 197 9 1,539 (4,913 ) 20,589 33,290 Release of allowance for loan losses 961 — — — — — 961 Release of reserve for losses 2,205 — — — — — 2,205 Other non-interest expense (15,180 ) (2,955 ) (3,130 ) (1,891 ) (10,541 ) — (33,697 ) Non-interest expense (4) (12,975 ) (2,955 ) (3,130 ) (1,891 ) (10,541 ) — (31,492 ) Core earnings before income taxes 35,678 15,508 7,620 38,704 (1,647 ) (22,757 ) (5) 73,106 Income tax (expense)/benefit (12,486 ) (5,430 ) (2,668 ) (13,548 ) 23,347 7,961 (2,824 ) Core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends 23,192 10,078 4,952 25,156 21,700 (14,796 ) (5) 70,282 Preferred stock dividends — — — — (9,839 ) — (9,839 ) Non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends — — — — (22,192 ) — (22,192 ) Segment core earnings/(losses) $ 23,192 $ 10,078 $ 4,952 $ 25,156 $ (10,331 ) $ (14,796 ) (5) $ 38,251 Total assets at carrying value $ 2,611,401 $ 1,825,210 $ 995,082 $ 5,459,296 $ 3,396,832 $ — $ 14,287,821 Total on- and off-balance sheet program assets at principal balance 5,417,174 1,798,034 985,609 6,396,941 — 14,597,758 (1) Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts and interest income related to securities purchased under agreements to resell. (2) Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " on the consolidated financial statements. Includes reconciling adjustments for interest expense related to securities sold, not yet purchased. (3) Includes interest income and interest expense related to securities purchased under agreements to resell and securities sold, not yet purchased, respectively; reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets; and a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities. (4) Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount. (5) Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively. Core Earnings by Business Segment For the Year Ended December 31, 2013 Farm & Ranch USDA Guarantees Rural Institutional Credit Corporate Reconciling Consolidated Net Income (in thousands) Interest income (1) $ 67,429 $ 53,384 $ 35,194 $ 89,199 $ 21,940 $ (20,417 ) $ 246,729 Interest income related to consolidated trusts owned by third parties reclassified to guarantee fee income (964 ) — — — — 964 — Interest expense (2) (32,062 ) (35,656 ) (23,601 ) (53,613 ) (4,668 ) 12,324 (137,276 ) Net effective spread 34,403 17,728 11,593 35,586 17,272 (7,129 ) 109,453 Guarantee and commitment fees 14,944 132 — 1,515 — (964 ) 15,627 Other income/(expense) (3) 2,244 791 — — 1,622 34,156 38,813 Non-interest income/(loss) 17,188 923 — 1,515 1,622 33,192 54,440 Release of allowance for loan losses 481 — — — — — 481 Provision for losses (929 ) — — — — — (929 ) Other non-interest expense (14,649 ) (2,904 ) (3,100 ) (1,774 ) (9,751 ) — (32,178 ) Non-interest expense (4) (15,578 ) (2,904 ) (3,100 ) (1,774 ) (9,751 ) — (33,107 ) Core earnings before income taxes 36,494 15,747 8,493 35,327 9,143 26,063 (5) 131,267 Income tax (expense)/benefit (12,773 ) (5,511 ) (2,973 ) (12,364 ) 8,991 (9,122 ) (33,752 ) Core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends 23,721 10,236 5,520 22,963 18,134 16,941 (5) 97,515 Preferred stock dividends — — — — (3,495 ) — (3,495 ) Non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends — — — — (22,187 ) — (22,187 ) Segment core earnings/(losses) $ 23,721 $ 10,236 $ 5,520 $ 22,963 $ (7,548 ) $ 16,941 (5) $ 71,833 Total assets at carrying value $ 2,190,224 $ 1,656,688 $ 1,076,298 $ 5,121,666 $ 3,316,904 $ — $ 13,361,780 Total on- and off-balance sheet program assets at principal balance 5,163,080 1,687,117 1,052,251 6,047,864 — 13,950,312 (1) Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts. (2) Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in " Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities " on the consolidated financial statements. (3) Includes reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets. Also includes a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities. (4) Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount. (5) Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively.

Quarterly Financial Informati36

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) - Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Table Text Block]	QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Unaudited) Table 15.1 2015 Quarter Ended Dec. 31 Sept. 30 June 30 Mar. 31 (in thousands, except per share amounts) Interest income: Interest income $ 67,562 $ 66,918 $ 66,392 $ 63,951 Interest expense 36,591 34,735 34,528 33,162 Net interest income 30,971 32,183 31,864 30,789 (Provision for)/release of loan losses (3,366 ) 1,164 (110 ) (76 ) Net interest income after (provision for)/release of loan losses 27,605 33,347 31,754 30,713 Non-interest income/(loss): Guarantee and commitment fees 3,780 3,532 3,388 3,377 Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities 1,592 (9,568 ) 14,389 (3,882 ) Gains/(losses) on trading assets 696 (8 ) 170 362 Gains on sale of available-for-sale investment securities — 3 — 6 Losses on sale of real estate owned — — — (1 ) Other income 372 1,060 260 613 Non-interest income/(loss) 6,440 (4,981 ) 18,207 475 Non-interest expense 5,865 10,421 10,853 8,343 Income before income taxes 28,180 17,945 39,108 22,845 Income tax expense 9,912 6,327 13,769 4,231 Net income 18,268 11,618 25,339 18,614 Less: Net loss/(income) attributable to non-controlling 60 36 119 (5,354 ) Net income attributable to Farmer Mac 18,328 11,654 25,458 13,260 Preferred stock dividends (3,296 ) (3,295 ) (3,296 ) (3,295 ) Loss on retirement of preferred stock — — — (8,147 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 15,032 $ 8,359 $ 22,162 $ 1,818 Earnings per common share: Basic earnings per common share $ 1.39 $ 0.76 $ 2.01 $ 0.17 Diluted earnings per common share $ 1.35 $ 0.74 $ 1.94 $ 0.16 2014 Quarter Ended Dec. 31 Sept. 30 June 30 Mar. 31 (in thousands, except per share amounts) Interest income: Interest income $ 60,730 $ 63,410 $ 64,475 $ 52,452 Interest expense 44,606 48,886 42,502 34,726 Net interest income 16,124 14,524 21,973 17,726 Release of/(provision for) loan losses 462 (511 ) 1,583 (573 ) Net interest income after release of/(provision for) loan losses 16,586 14,013 23,556 17,153 Non-interest income: Guarantee and commitment fees 3,563 3,644 3,703 3,784 (Losses)/gains on financial derivatives and hedging activities (9,178 ) 808 (5,698 ) (7,578 ) Gains on trading assets 13,857 16,369 7,748 655 (Losses)/gains on sale of available-for-sale investment securities — (396 ) 143 15 (Losses)/gains on sale of real estate owned (28 ) — 168 (3 ) Other income 920 502 200 92 Non-interest income/(loss) 9,134 20,927 6,264 (3,035 ) Non-interest expense 8,594 7,095 7,856 7,947 Income before income taxes 17,126 27,845 21,964 6,171 Income tax expense/(benefit) 2,769 7,564 (6,368 ) (1,141 ) Net income 14,357 20,281 28,332 7,312 Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling (5,414 ) (5,412 ) (5,819 ) (5,547 ) Net income attributable to Farmer Mac 8,943 14,869 22,513 1,765 Preferred stock dividends (3,296 ) (3,283 ) (2,308 ) (952 ) Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 5,647 $ 11,586 $ 20,205 $ 813 Earnings per common share: Basic earnings per common share $ 0.52 $ 1.06 $ 1.85 $ 0.07 Diluted earnings per common share $ 0.50 $ 1.02 $ 1.78 $ 0.07

Organization - Organization (D

Organization - Organization (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Product Information [Line Items]
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	$ 15,898,820	$ 14,597,758	$ 13,950,312
Medium-term Notes [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
Notes Payable	7,400,000
Farm & Ranch [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	5,725,299	5,417,174	5,163,080
USDA Guarantees [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	1,918,277	1,798,034	1,687,117
Rural Utilities [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	1,530,990	985,609	1,052,251
Institutional Credit [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	6,724,254	$ 6,396,941	$ 6,047,864
Discount Notes [Member]
Product Information [Line Items]
Notes Payable	$ 6,600,000

Accounting Policies - Principl

Accounting Policies - Principles of Consolidation (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015subsidiary
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Number of Subsidiaries	3

Accounting Policies - Cash and

Accounting Policies - Cash and Cash Equivalents and Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 02, 2014	Jan. 01, 2013
Other Significant Noncash Transactions [Line Items]
Interest Paid							$ 108,254	$ 171,644	$ 114,609
Income Taxes Paid							31,000	12,750	23,000
Non-cash activity:
Real estate owned acquired through loan liquidation							0	0	1,443
Proceeds from sale of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities							336,913	175,754	150,417
Consolidation of Farm & Ranch Guaranteed Securities from off-balance sheet to loans held for investment in consolidated trusts and to debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties							336,913	199,906	150,417
Purchases of securities - traded, not yet settled							20,000	70,178	0
Issuance Costs on the retirement of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 8,147			8,147	0	0
Unsettled common stock repurchases							197	0	0
Transfers of loans held for sale to loans held for investment							0	0	673,991
Transfer of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities - Available-for-sale to Held-to-maturity; Unrealized holding gains										$ 22,300
Transfer of Loans Held-for-sale to Loans Held-for Investment, unamortized discount											$ (5,900)
Institutional Credit [Member]
Non-cash activity:
Issuance Costs on the retirement of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock							0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Non-cash activity:
Transfers of available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities to held-to-maturity								1,632,786
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member]
Non-cash activity:
Transfers of available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities to held-to-maturity								1,632,786
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member]
Non-cash activity:
Transfers of available-for-sale Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities to held-to-maturity					$ 0	$ 1,600,000	$ 0	$ 1,632,786	$ 0

Accounting Policies - Transfer

Accounting Policies - Transfers of Financial Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Securities Purchased under Agreements to Resell	$ 0	$ 0
Security Owned and Sold, Not yet Purchased Fair Value, Security Sold, Not yet Purchased	$ 0	$ 0

Accounting Policies - Earnings

Accounting Policies - Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Net income attributable to common stockholders (Dilutive)									$ 47,371	$ 38,251	$ 71,833
Stock options, SARs and restricted stock									360	447	393
Earnings Per Share, On Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Share-based Payment Arrangements									$ (0.14)	$ (0.13)	$ (0.23)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted									11,309	11,367	11,209
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 1.35	$ 0.74	$ 1.94	$ 0.16	$ 0.50	$ 1.02	$ 1.78	$ 0.07	$ 4.19000	$ 3.37000	$ 6.41000
Earnings Per Share, Basic [Abstract]
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic									10,949	10,920	10,816
Basic earnings per common share	$ 1.39	$ 0.76	$ 2.01	$ 0.17	$ 0.52	$ 1.06	$ 1.85	$ 0.07	$ 4.33	$ 3.50	$ 6.64
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ 15,032	$ 8,359	$ 22,162	$ 1,818	$ 5,647	$ 11,586	$ 20,205	$ 813	$ 47,371	$ 38,251	$ 71,833

Accounting Policies - Earnin42

Accounting Policies - Earnings Per Share Anti-Dilutive (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ 15,032	$ 8,359	$ 22,162	$ 1,818	$ 5,647	$ 11,586	$ 20,205	$ 813	$ 47,371	$ 38,251	$ 71,833
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Diluted									$ 47,371	$ 38,251	$ 71,833
Stock options, SARs and restricted stock									360,000	447,000	393,000
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic									10,949,000	10,920,000	10,816,000
Basic earnings per common share	$ 1.39	$ 0.76	$ 2.01	$ 0.17	$ 0.52	$ 1.06	$ 1.85	$ 0.07	$ 4.33	$ 3.50	$ 6.64
Earnings Per Share, On Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Share-based Payment Arrangements									$ (0.14)	$ (0.13)	$ (0.23)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted									11,309,000	11,367,000	11,209,000
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 1.35	$ 0.74	$ 1.94	$ 0.16	$ 0.50	$ 1.02	$ 1.78	$ 0.07	$ 4.19000	$ 3.37000	$ 6.41000
Stock Options and SARs [Members]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from earnings per share (shares)									304,132	109,143	33,730
Performance Shares [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from earnings per share (shares)									46,303	36,784	26,696

Accounting Policies - Stock-Ba

Accounting Policies - Stock-Based Compensation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 3.3	$ 2.9	$ 3

Accounting Policies - Changes

Accounting Policies - Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
AOCI Beginning Balance	$ 15,533	$ (16,202)	$ 73,969
Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications	(7,181)	53,065	(75,402)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(19,371)	(21,330)	(14,769)
Net other comprehensive (loss)/income	(26,552)	31,735	(90,171)
AOCI Ending Balance	(11,019)	15,533	(16,202)
Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member]
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
AOCI Beginning Balance	9,716	(16,272)	73,969
Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications	(6,026)	38,927	(75,465)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(13,725)	(12,939)	(14,776)
Net other comprehensive (loss)/income	(19,751)	25,988	(90,241)
AOCI Ending Balance	(10,035)	9,716	(16,272)
Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member] | Held-to-maturity Securities [Member]
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
AOCI Beginning Balance	5,973	0	0
Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications	0	14,502	0
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(6,449)	(8,529)	0
Net other comprehensive (loss)/income	(6,449)	5,973	0
AOCI Ending Balance	(476)	5,973	0
Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
AOCI Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
AOCI Beginning Balance	(156)	70	0
Other comprehensive (loss)/income before reclassifications	(1,155)	(364)	63
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	803	138	7
Net other comprehensive (loss)/income	(352)	(226)	70
AOCI Ending Balance	$ (508)	$ (156)	$ 70

Accounting Policies - Componen

Accounting Policies - Components of Other Comprehensive Income Loss and Related Tax Impact (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	$ (7,181)	$ 53,065	$ (75,402)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	(19,371)	(21,330)	(14,769)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Tax	(40,850)	48,823	(138,724)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax	(14,298)	17,088	(48,553)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(26,552)	31,735	(90,171)
Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, before Tax	(1,776)	(559)	96
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) before Reclassifications, Tax	(621)	(195)	33
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	(1,155)	(364)	63
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	803	138	7
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Tax	(541)	(347)	107
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax	(189)	(121)	37
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(352)	(226)	70
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, before Tax	(9,270)	59,887	(116,099)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) before Reclassifications, Tax	(3,244)	20,960	(40,634)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	(6,026)	38,927	(75,465)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	(13,725)	(12,939)	(14,776)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Tax	(30,387)	39,980	(138,831)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax	(10,636)	13,992	(48,590)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(19,751)	25,988	(90,241)
Held-to-maturity Securities [Member] | Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, before Tax	0	22,311	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) before Reclassifications, Tax	0	7,809	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	0	14,502	0
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	(6,449)	(8,529)	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Tax	(9,922)	9,190	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax	(3,473)	3,217	0
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	(6,449)	5,973	0
Gain (Loss) on Derivative Instruments [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	(20,125)	(19,213)	(19,381)
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Tax	(7,044)	(6,725)	(6,783)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	(13,081)	(12,488)	(12,598)
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	(10)	239	(2,114)
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Tax	(4)	84	(740)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	(6)	155	(1,374)
Other Income [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	(982)	(933)	(1,237)
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Tax	(344)	(327)	(433)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	(638)	(606)	(804)
Interest Income [Member] | Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	1,235	212	11
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Tax	432	74	4
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	803	138	7
Interest Income [Member] | Held-to-maturity Securities [Member] | Accumulated Net Investment Gain (Loss) Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	(9,922)	(13,121)	0
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Tax	(3,473)	(4,592)	0
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	$ (6,449)	$ (8,529)	$ 0

Accounting Policies - Consolid

Accounting Policies - Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	$ 708,111	$ 692,478
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	713,536	424,214
Farm & Ranch [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Other Liabilities	5,400	2,900
USDA Guarantees [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(200)	200
Rural Utilities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)		3,700
Institutional Credit [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	1,400
Fair Value Adjustment		2,400
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	1,494,323	1,620,064
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	514,051	636,086
Off-balance sheet [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	10,272	13,978
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Rural Utilities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	970,000	970,000
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Corporate Segment [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
On-balance sheet [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	708,111	692,478
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	713,536	424,214
On-balance sheet [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	708,111	421,355
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	713,536	424,214
On-balance sheet [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	0	0
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	0	0
On-balance sheet [Member] | Rural Utilities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	0	271,123
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	0	0
On-balance sheet [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	0	0
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	0	0
On-balance sheet [Member] | Corporate Segment [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Loans held for investment in consolidated trusts, at amortized cost	0	0
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	0	0
Investment Securities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	5,936	7,471
Investment Securities [Member] | On-balance sheet [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	917,292	409,657
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	918,121	412,690
Investment Securities [Member] | On-balance sheet [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
Investment Securities [Member] | On-balance sheet [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
Investment Securities [Member] | On-balance sheet [Member] | Rural Utilities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
Investment Securities [Member] | On-balance sheet [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
Investment Securities [Member] | On-balance sheet [Member] | Corporate Segment [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	917,292	409,657
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	918,121	412,690
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: | On-balance sheet [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	62,760	60,035
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	61,553	57,832
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: | On-balance sheet [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: | On-balance sheet [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	31,360	27,620
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	31,553	27,832
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: | On-balance sheet [Member] | Rural Utilities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: | On-balance sheet [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	31,400	32,415
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	30,000	30,000
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities: | On-balance sheet [Member] | Corporate Segment [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Nonconsolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net	0	0
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	$ 0	$ 0

Related Party Transactions - Z

Related Party Transactions - Zions (Details) - Zions First National Bank [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party's percent of Farmer Mac Total Outstanding Book of Business	5.70%	5.90%
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party	$ 9,300	$ 8,400	$ 7,000
Sale of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction	255,338	147,234	120,409
Medium-term Notes [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction	$ 0	$ 5,000	$ 0
Farm & Ranch [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Related Party's Percent of Total Program Loans	23.90%	22.30%	25.50%
Related Party Transaction, Related Party's percent of total Program	15.20%	14.60%	15.40%
USDA Guarantee [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Related Party's percent of total Program	3.60%	12.40%	3.60%
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 178,890	$ 155,808	$ 210,088
USDA Securities [Member] | USDA Guarantee [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	13,718	42,637	13,153
On-balance sheet [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 0	$ 50,237	$ 0
Common Class A, Voting [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common Stock Ownership Percentage by a Related Party	31.20%

Related Party Transactions - N

Related Party Transactions - National Rural Utilities Cooperative Financial Corporation (Details) - CFC [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 1,310,599	$ 903,465	$ 906,965
Related Party Transaction, Related Party's percent of total Program	40.60%	32.70%	29.40%
Related Party's percent of Farmer Mac Total Outstanding Book of Business	24.60%	18.70%
Related Party Transaction, Other Revenues from Transactions with Related Party	$ 100	$ 100	$ 100
Due from Related Parties	1,800	1,200
Interest Income, Related Party	15,900	15,800	27,800
Accounts Receivable, Related Parties, Current	100	0
Revenue from Related Parties	500	0	0
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party	$ 3,300	$ 3,400	$ 3,400
Rural Utilities [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Related Party's percent of total Program	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Rural Utilities [Member] | Loans [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 108,337	$ 75,500	$ 86,965
Institutional Credit [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Related Party's percent of total Program	65.20%	64.70%	64.40%
On-balance sheet [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 380,000	$ 820,775	$ 820,000
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	0	7,190	0
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 300,000	0	0
Common Class A, Voting [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common Stock Ownership Percentage by a Related Party	7.90%
Guarantee Obligations [Member] | Rural Utilities [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	$ 522,262	$ 0	$ 0

Related Party Transactions - A

Related Party Transactions - AgFirst Farm Credit Bank (Details) - AgFirst Farm Credit Bank [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenue from Related Parties	$ 0.4	$ 0.6	$ 0.7
Accounts Receivable, Related Parties, Current	0.1	0.1
Related Party Transaction, Other Revenues from Transactions with Related Party	$ 0.1	0.1	0.5
Common Class B, Voting [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common Stock Ownership Percentage by a Related Party	16.80%
Performance Guarantee [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transactions, Outstanding Balance	$ 24.6	28.9
Guarantee Obligations [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	28.5	19.7	$ 8.1
Related Party Transactions, Outstanding Balance	$ 112.7	$ 112.8

Related Party Transactions - F

Related Party Transactions - Farm Credit Bank of Texas (Details) - Farm Credit Bank of Texas [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenue from Related Parties	$ 0.1	$ 0.2	$ 0.2
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party	$ 0.3	0.4	$ 0.5
Common Class B, Voting [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common Stock Ownership Percentage by a Related Party	7.70%
Guarantee Obligations [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transactions, Outstanding Balance	$ 43.3	$ 51.5

Related Party Transactions - O

Related Party Transactions - Other Related Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
AgFirst Farm Credit Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Related Parties, Current	$ 0.1	$ 0.1
Revenue from Related Parties	0.4	0.6	$ 0.7
First Dakota Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party	1	0.8	0.6
AgGeorgia [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenue from Related Parties	0.1	0.1	0.1
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member] | First Dakota Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	21.1	35.1	61.6
Guarantee Obligations [Member] | AgFirst Farm Credit Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	28.5	19.7	8.1
Guarantee Obligations [Member] | First Dakota Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	7.8	0	1
Guarantee Obligations [Member] | AgGeorgia [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party		20.2	27.5
USDA Securities [Member] | USDA Guarantee [Member] | Bath State Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Purchases from Related Party	2.1	4.5	$ 9.3
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member} | CoBank, ACB [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Notes Receivable, Related Parties	$ 70	$ 70
Common Class B, Voting [Member] | AgFirst Farm Credit Bank [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common Stock Ownership Percentage by a Related Party	16.80%
Common Class B, Voting [Member] | CoBank, ACB [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common Stock Ownership Percentage by a Related Party	32.60%

Investment Securities - Schedu

Investment Securities - Schedule of Investment Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 8,429,964		$ 6,837,571		$ 8,429,964		$ 6,837,571
Investment Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale investment securities					83,735		770,149		$ 366,562
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gains					100		600		$ 3,100
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	2,773,111		1,932,236		2,773,111		1,932,236
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	5,936		7,471		5,936		7,471
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	2,779,047		1,939,707		2,779,047		1,939,707
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	6,891		9,003		6,891		9,003
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(10,913)		(10,211)		(10,913)		(10,211)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	2,775,025		1,938,499		2,775,025		1,938,499
Trading Securities [Abstract]
Trading, at fair value	491		689		491		689
Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Marketable Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	2,775,322		1,935,104		2,775,322		1,935,104
Marketable Securities, Amortized Cost	2,781,258		1,942,575		2,781,258		1,942,575
Marketable Securities, Unrealized Gains	6,891		9,003		6,891		9,003
Marketable Securities, Unrealized Losses	(12,633)		(12,390)		(12,633)		(12,390)
Marketable Securities	2,775,516		1,939,188		2,775,516		1,939,188
USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	1,888,344		1,731,222		1,888,344		1,731,222
Trading Securities [Abstract]
Trading, at fair value	28,975		40,310		28,975		40,310
Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Marketable Securities	1,917,319		1,771,532		1,917,319		1,771,532
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Investment Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	5,936		7,471		5,936		7,471
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	46,500		46,600		46,500		46,600
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	46,500		46,600		46,500		46,600
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0		0		0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(1,576)		(6,024)		(1,576)		(6,024)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	44,924		40,576		44,924		40,576
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	74,744		100,730		74,744		100,730
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	74,491		100,656		74,491		100,656
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	14		283		14		283
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(776)		(37)		(776)		(37)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	73,729		100,902		73,729		100,902
Trading Securities [Abstract]
Trading Securities - Amount Outstanding	2,211		2,868		2,211		2,868
Trading Securities, Debt, Amortized Cost	2,211		2,868		2,211		2,868
Trading Securities, Unrealized Gains	0		0
Trading Securities, Unrealized Losses	(1,720)		(2,179)
Trading, at fair value	491		689		491		689
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	10,000		10,000		10,000		10,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	10,000		10,000		10,000		10,000
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0		91		0		91
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(9)		0		(9)		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	9,991		10,091		9,991		10,091
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	1,353,495		605,053		1,353,495		605,053
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	1,357,010		608,484		1,357,010		608,484
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	2,768		4,712		2,768		4,712
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(4,319)		(443)		(4,319)		(443)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	1,355,459		612,753		1,355,459		612,753
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member}
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	70,000		70,000		70,000		70,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	70,000		70,000		70,000		70,000
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0		0		0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(3,751)		(3,680)		(3,751)		(3,680)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	66,249		66,320		66,249		66,320
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Taxable Municipal Bonds [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance			75,000				75,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis			74,990				74,990
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax			0				0
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses			(11)				(11)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure			74,979				74,979
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	0		0		0		0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	0		0		0		0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(253)		(74)		(253)		(74)
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	0		0		0		0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	3,515		3,431		3,515		3,431
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member}
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	0		0		0		0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Taxable Municipal Bonds [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)			(10)				(10)
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	10,000		30,000		10,000		30,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	9,999		29,990		9,999		29,990
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0		35		0		35
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(5)		0		(5)		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	9,994		30,025		9,994		30,025
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	692		853	[1]	692		853	[1]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	3,809		4,395	[1]	3,809		4,395	[1]
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	4,095		3,807	[1]	4,095		3,807	[1]
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	0		0	[1]	0		0	[1]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	7,904	[2]	8,202	[1]	7,904	[2]	8,202	[1]
Derivative, Notional Amount	148,500		152,400		148,500		152,400
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	214,000		18,806		214,000		18,806
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	213,975		18,936		213,975		18,936
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	12		3		12		3
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	0		0		0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	213,987		18,939		213,987		18,939
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	993,680		975,194		993,680		975,194
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	993,263		975,656		993,263		975,656
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	2		72		2		72
Available-for-sale Securities, Unrealized Losses	(477)		(16)		(477)		(16)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	992,788		975,712		992,788		975,712
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(1)		(10)		(1)		(10)
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	3,117		3,542	[1]	3,117		3,542	[1]
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(25)		130		(25)		130
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(417)		462		(417)		462
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Interest-Only-Strip [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	$ 7,200		$ 7,300		$ 7,200		$ 7,300
[1]	Fair value includes $7.3 million of an interest-only security with a notional amount of $152.4 million.
[2]	Fair value includes $7.2 million of an interest-only security with a notional amount of $148.5 million.

Investment Securities - Narrat

Investment Securities - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Investment Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale investment securities	$ 83,735	$ 770,149	$ 366,562
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Losses	0	800	1,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gains	100	$ 600	$ 3,100
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments	$ 100

Investment Securities - Unreal

Investment Securities - Unrealized Loss Position (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)position	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)position
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 1,799,338	$ 495,501
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	194,540	183,763
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(4,363)	(228)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	$ (6,550)	$ (9,983)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Qualitative Disclosure [Abstract]
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions | position	69	35
Investment Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Qualitative Disclosure [Abstract]
Available-for-sale securities in a loss position for more than 12 months, qualitative disclosure, percent of amortized cost	97.00%
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions, Greater than or Equal to One Year | position	17	15
Standard & Poor's, A- Rating [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Qualitative Disclosure [Abstract]
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions | position	3	1
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 0	$ 0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	18,124	40,576
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(1,576)	(6,024)
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	44,552	19,388
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	9,975	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(464)	(37)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(312)	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	4,991
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(9)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	794,959	76,100
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	100,192	76,867
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(3,408)	(164)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(911)	(279)
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member}
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	66,249	66,320
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(3,751)	(3,680)
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		74,980
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(11)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	9,994
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(5)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	944,842	325,033
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Continuous Unrealized Loss Position Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(477)	(16)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	$ 0	$ 0

Investment Securities - Tradin

Investment Securities - Trading Securities (Details) - Floating Interest Rate [Member] - Asset-backed Securities [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Trading Securities, Debt, Amortized Cost	$ 2,211	$ 2,868
Trading, at fair value	$ 491	$ 689
Trading Securities, Weighted-Average Yield	4.41%	4.24%

Investment Securities - Debt M

Investment Securities - Debt Maturities (Details) - Investment Securities [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Maturities, Single Maturity Date, Amortized Cost Basis [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Due within one year, Amortized Cost	$ 1,222,236
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after one year through five years, Amortized Cost	146,389
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after five years through ten years, Amortized Cost	575,023
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after ten years, Amortized Cost	835,399
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Maturities, Single Maturity Date [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Due within one year, Fair Value	1,221,760
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after one year through five years, Fair Value	147,101
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after five years through ten years, Fair Value	573,082
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after ten years, Fair Value	833,082
Available-for-sale securities	$ 2,775,025	$ 1,938,499
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted Average Yield, Single Maturity Date [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Due within one year, Weighted-Average Yield	0.43%
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after one year through five years, Weighted-Average Yield	1.10%
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after five years through ten years, Weighted-Average Yield	0.86%
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after ten years, Weighted-Average Yield	0.90%
Available-for-sale Securities, Total Weighted-Average Yield	0.70%

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securit57

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	$ 6,045,828	$ 5,370,717
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	6,047,385	5,373,437
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	64,131	48,529
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	70,567	31,463
Available-for-sale, at fair value	6,040,949	5,390,503
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Held-to-Maturity Securities [Abstract]
Held-to-maturity Securities, Amortized Cost before Other than Temporary Impairment	1,274,016
Held-to-maturity Securities, Fair Value	1,281,817
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	4,196,506	3,652,904
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	4,196,173	3,652,462
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	26,971	36,679
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	70,539	29,860
Available-for-sale, at fair value	4,152,605	3,659,281
USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	1,888,344	1,731,222
Trading Securities [Abstract]
Trading, at fair value	28,975	40,310
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	1,557	2,720
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(333)	(442)
Institutional Credit [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	1,400
Institutional Credit [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Held-to-Maturity Securities [Abstract]
Held-to-Maturity Unpaid Principal Balance	1,274,431	1,785,340
Held-to-maturity Securities, Amortized Cost before Other than Temporary Impairment	1,274,016	1,794,620
Held to Maturity; Unrealized Holding Gains	7,801	6,211
Held to Maturity - Unrealized Holding Loss	0	(255)
Held-to-maturity Securities, Fair Value	1,281,817	1,800,576
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	4,164,952	3,625,073
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	4,164,952	3,625,073
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	26,831	36,442
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	70,539	29,853
Available-for-sale, at fair value	4,121,244	3,631,662
Institutional Credit [Member] | Held-to-maturity Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(415)	9,280
Institutional Credit [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	0	0
USDA Guarantees [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(200)	200
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	31,554	27,831
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	31,221	27,389
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	140	237
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	0	7
Available-for-sale, at fair value	31,361	27,619
USDA Guarantees [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-Sale Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	1,849,322	1,717,813
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	1,851,212	1,720,975
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	37,160	11,850
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	28	1,603
Available-for-sale, at fair value	1,888,344	1,731,222
Trading Securities [Abstract]
Trading Securities Unpaid Principal Balance	27,129	38,412
Trading Securities, Debt, Amortized Cost	29,063	41,160
Trading Securities, Unrealized Gains	125	114
Trading Securities, Unrealized Holding Loss	213	964
Trading, at fair value	28,975	40,310
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	(333)	(442)
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	1,890	3,162
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Schedule of Held-to-Maturity, Available-for-sale, and Trading Securities [Line Items]
Unamortized Premium/(Discount)	$ 1,934	$ 2,748

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securit58

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Unrealized Loss Position (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)position	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)position
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 1,799,338	$ 495,501
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	194,540	183,763
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	4,363	228
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	$ 6,550	$ 9,983
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions [Abstract]
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions | position	69	35
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 1,193,866	$ 953,226
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,207,991	1,557,906
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	41,835	14,671
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	28,732	16,792
Institutional Credit [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Held-to-maturity Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Held-to-maturity Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		547
Held-to-maturity Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		49,745
Held-to-maturity Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss [Abstract]
Held-to-maturity Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(1)
Held-to-maturity Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(254)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,193,866	685,131
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,104,981	1,460,089
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	41,835	13,115
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	$ 28,704	$ 16,738
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions [Abstract]
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions | position	22	23
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions, Greater than or Equal to One Year | position	8	15
Held-to-maturity Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Qualitative Disclosure [Abstract]
Held-to-maturity, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions | position	0	2
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		$ 3,720
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		7
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		0
USDA Guarantees [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 0	264,375
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	103,010	97,817
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	0	1,549
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	$ 28	$ 54

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securit59

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) - Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Maturities, Single Maturity Date, Amortized Cost Basis [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Due within one year, Amortized Cost	$ 667,704
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after one year through five years, Amortized Cost	1,593,602
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after five years through ten years, Amortized Cost	1,292,198
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after ten years, Amortized Cost	2,493,881
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	6,047,385	$ 5,373,437
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Maturities, Single Maturity Date [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Due within one year, Fair Value	668,996
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after one year through five years, Fair Value	1,597,710
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after five years through ten years, Fair Value	1,299,302
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after ten years, Fair Value	2,474,941
Available-for-sale, at fair value	$ 6,040,949	$ 5,390,503
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted Average Yield, Single Maturity Date [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Due within one year, Weighted-Average Yield	2.54%
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after one year through five years, Weighted-Average Yield	1.42%
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after five years through ten years, Weighted-Average Yield	1.97%
Available-for-sale Securities, Due after ten years, Weighted-Average Yield	2.52%
Available-for-sale Securities, Total Weighted-Average Yield	2.11%

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securit60

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Schedule of Held-to-maturity Securities (Details) - Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Single Maturity Date, Amortized Cost Basis [Abstract]
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, within One Year, Net Carrying Amount	$ 680,330
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, after One Through Five Years, Net Carrying Amount	593,686
Held-to-maturity Securities, Amortized Cost before Other than Temporary Impairment	1,274,016
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Single Maturity Date, Fair Value [Abstract]
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Next Twelve Months, Fair Value	680,956
Held-to-maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Year Two Through Five, Fair Value	600,861
Held-to-maturity Securities, Fair Value	$ 1,281,817
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	2.27%
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Year Two Through Five, Weighted-Average Yield	2.23%
Held-to-Maturity Securities, Debt Maturities, Weighted-Average Yield	2.25%

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securit61

Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Guaranteed Securities - Trading Securities (Details) - USDA Securities [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Trading, at fair value	$ 28,975	$ 40,310
USDA Guarantees [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Trading Securities, Debt, Amortized Cost	29,063	41,160
Trading, at fair value	$ 28,975	$ 40,310
Trading Securities, Weighted-Average Yield	5.53%	5.60%

Financial Derivatives - Hedgin

Financial Derivatives - Hedging Description (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedges Recognized in Earnings	$ (22,600)	$ (19,700)	$ (18,000)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI on Derivatives, before Tax	1,200	200	11
Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified During Next 12 Months, Net	1,400
Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified During Next 12 Months, Net of Tax	$ 900
Maximum Length of Time Hedged in Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge	10 years
Gain (Loss) on Discontinuation of Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Due to Forecasted Transaction Probable of Not Occurring, Net	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Financial Derivatives - Schedu

Financial Derivatives - Schedule of Derivative Instruments in Statement of Financial Position (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 8,429,964	$ 6,837,571
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	3,816	4,177
Financial derivatives, at fair value	77,199	84,844
Derivative Credit Risk Valuation Adjustment, Derivative Assets	200	200
Derivative, Collateral [Abstract]
Collateral Pledged	37,986	46,627
Derivative Asset	3,816	4,177
Derivative Liability	39,213	38,217
Cash [Member]
Derivative, Collateral [Abstract]
Obligation to Return Securities Received as Collateral	0	0
Collateral Pledged	38,000	46,600
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swap, Pay Fixed Non-Callable [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	1,276,285	1,000,000
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	949	0
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 26,703	$ 31,718
Derivative, Average Fixed Interest Rate	2.35%	2.47%
Derivative, Average Variable Interest Rate	0.37%	0.23%
Derivative, Average Remaining Maturity	4 years 1 month 28 days	3 years 11 months 23 days
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swap, Pay Fixed Non-Callable [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 119,000	$ 15,000
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	8	0
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 1,381	$ 289
Derivative, Average Fixed Interest Rate	2.25%	2.43%
Derivative, Average Variable Interest Rate	0.64%	0.51%
Derivative, Average Remaining Maturity	7 years 11 days	6 years 2 months 23 days
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Derivative Credit Risk Valuation Adjustment, Derivative Assets	$ 5	$ 22
Derivative Credit Risk Valuation Adjustment, Derivative Liabilities	170	187
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swap, Pay Fixed Non-Callable [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	454,041	490,183
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	229	537
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 44,528	$ 51,224
Derivative, Average Fixed Interest Rate	3.73%	4.23%
Derivative, Average Variable Interest Rate	0.33%	0.23%
Derivative, Average Remaining Maturity	6 years 7 days	7 years 18 days
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swap, Receive Fixed Non-Callable [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 5,590,638	$ 3,829,355
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	2,384	3,414
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 4,205	$ 461
Derivative, Average Fixed Interest Rate	0.47%	0.27%
Derivative, Average Variable Interest Rate	0.31%	0.14%
Derivative, Average Remaining Maturity	6 months 25 days	6 months 18 days
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swap, Receive Fixed Callable [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 230,000	$ 383,565
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	0	1
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 421	$ 877
Derivative, Average Fixed Interest Rate	0.91%	1.34%
Derivative, Average Variable Interest Rate	0.41%	0.12%
Derivative, Average Remaining Maturity	2 years 3 months 4 days	3 years 5 months 19 days
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Basis Swap [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 725,000	$ 1,105,000
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	232	247
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 131	$ 406
Derivative, Average Variable Interest Rate	0.22%	0.11%
Derivative, Variable Interest Rate	0.38%	0.31%
Derivative, Average Remaining Maturity	2 years 3 months 29 days	2 years 5 months 1 day
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Forward Contracts [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 0	$ 12,768
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	0	0
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 0	$ 53
Derivative, Weighted-Average Forward Price	$ 0	$ 101
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Future [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 35,000	$ 1,700
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral [Abstract]
Financial derivatives, at fair value	19	0
Financial derivatives, at fair value	$ 0	$ 3
Derivative, Weighted-Average Forward Price	$ 125.96	$ 126.60

Financial Derivatives - Sche64

Financial Derivatives - Schedule of Derivative Instruments, Impact on Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedges Recognized in Earnings	$ (22,600)	$ (19,700)	$ (18,000)
Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities	2,531	(21,646)	31,764
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Hedged Item in Fair Value Hedge	3,100	14,520	(18,230)
Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedges Recognized in Earnings	9,065	11,791	11,308
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities	(5,983)	(33,427)	20,495
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Components Included from Assessment of Interest Rate Fair Value Hedge Effectiveness	9,200	11,600	11,800
Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	100	(200)	500
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedging Instruments	5,965	(2,729)	29,538
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness	(551)	(10)	(39)
Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedge Ineffectiveness, Net	(551)	(10)	(39)
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities	(3,204)	(31,101)	21,394
Forward Contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities	(2,440)	(1,842)	(1,002)
Future [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities	$ (339)	$ (484)	$ 103

Financial Derivatives - Narrat

Financial Derivatives - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative [Line Items]
Securities Purchased under Agreements to Resell	$ 0	$ 0
Financial derivatives, at fair value	77,199	84,844
Derivative, Collateral [Abstract]
Collateral Pledged	37,986	46,627
Additional Collateral, Aggregate Fair Value	45,200	46,800
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	8,429,964	6,837,571
Excluding netting [Member] | Including accrued interest [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Credit exposure to interest rate swap counterparties	6,400	6,100
Financial derivatives, at fair value	90,100	99,400
Netting [Member] | Including accrued interest [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Credit exposure to interest rate swap counterparties	0	400
Financial derivatives, at fair value	83,200	93,400
Uncollateralized [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Credit exposure to interest rate swap counterparties	0	400
Cash [Member]
Derivative, Collateral [Abstract]
Collateral Received	0	0
Collateral Pledged	38,000	46,600
Securities Pledged as Collateral [Member]
Derivative, Collateral [Abstract]
Collateral Pledged	0	0
Exchange Cleared [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	6,200,000	4,000,000
Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Notional Disclosures [Abstract]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 8,400,000	$ 6,800,000

Notes Payable - Borrowings and

Notes Payable - Borrowings and Callable Debt(Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Due within one year	$ 9,111,461	$ 7,353,953
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.48%	0.32%
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	$ 1,872,910	$ 1,673,137
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	1,200,558	1,569,961
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three	1,539,264	1,219,192
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four	520,284	682,224
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five	529,567	872,576
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five	$ 1,177,363	$ 1,127,233
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.59%	1.56%
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	$ 4,967,036	$ 5,471,186
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	$ 14,078,497	$ 12,825,139
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.87%	0.85%
Due after one year	$ 4,967,036	$ 5,471,186
Discount Notes [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Due within one year	$ 6,642,560	$ 4,925,828
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.32%	0.11%
Short-term Debt, Average Outstanding Amount	$ 5,251,081	$ 4,059,708
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate During Period	0.22%	0.15%
Short-term Debt, Maximum Month-end Outstanding Amount	$ 6,700,000	$ 4,900,000
Medium-term Notes [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Due within one year	$ 595,991	$ 754,988
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.38%	0.17%
Short-term Debt, Average Outstanding Amount	$ 761,998	$ 532,621
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate During Period	0.25%	0.15%
Long-term Debt [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.05%	0.98%
Call Option [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	$ 103,977
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three	801,930
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four	0
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five	179,803
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five	$ 219,333
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.02%
Due after one year	$ 1,305,043
Due year two [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.02%	1.16%
Due year two [Member] | Call Option [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.77%
Due year three [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.85%	0.90%
Due year three [Member] | Call Option [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.43%
Due year four [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.73%	1.28%
Due year four [Member] | Call Option [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.00%
Due year five [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.68%	1.42%
Due year five [Member] | Call Option [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.90%
Due after five years [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	3.05%	3.09%
Due after five years [Member] | Call Option [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	2.59%

Notes Payable - Earliest Inter

Notes Payable - Earliest Interest Reset Date of Borrowing Outstanding (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Meduim Term Notes Called During the Period	$ 2,400,000	$ 500,000
Due within one year	$ 9,111,461	$ 7,353,953
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.48%	0.32%
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	$ 1,200,558	$ 1,569,961
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three	1,539,264	1,219,192
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four	520,284	682,224
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five	529,567	872,576
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five	1,177,363	1,127,233
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	$ 14,078,497	$ 12,825,139
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.59%	1.56%
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.87%	0.85%
Due within one year [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Due within one year	$ 10,560,504
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.55%
Due year two [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	$ 1,071,581
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.06%
Due year three [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three	$ 737,333
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.32%
Due year four [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four	$ 520,284
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.73%
Due year five [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five	$ 298,764
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.76%
Due after five years [Member]
Schedule of Short-term and Long-term Borrowings [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five	$ 890,031
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	3.34%

Notes Payable - Authority to B

Notes Payable - Authority to Borrow from the U.S. Treasury (Details) $ in Billions	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 1.5

Notes Payable - Gains on Repur

Notes Payable - Gains on Repurchase of Outstanding Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount	$ 0	$ 0	$ 29,100
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1,462

Loans and Allowance for Losse70

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Loan (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans held for investment, at amortized cost		$ 3,258,413	$ 2,833,461
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses, Real Estate		4,480	5,864
Total loans, net of allowance		3,962,044	3,520,075
Unsecuritized [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance	[1]	3,257,990	2,837,080
Unamortized premiums, discounts and other cost basis adjustments		423	(3,619)
Loans held for investment, at amortized cost		3,258,413	2,833,461
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses, Real Estate		3,736	5,324
Total loans, net of allowance		3,254,677	2,828,137
Unsecuritized [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance		2,249,864	2,118,867
Unsecuritized [Member] | Rural Utilities [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance		1,008,126	718,213
In Consolidated Trusts
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance	[1]	708,111	688,751
Unamortized premiums, discounts and other cost basis adjustments		0	3,727
Loans held for investment, at amortized cost		708,111	692,478
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses, Real Estate		744	540
Total loans, net of allowance		707,367	691,938
In Consolidated Trusts | Farm & Ranch [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance		708,111	421,355
In Consolidated Trusts | Rural Utilities [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance		0	267,396
Loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance	[1]	3,966,101	3,525,831
Unamortized premiums, discounts and other cost basis adjustments		423	108
Loans held for investment, at amortized cost		3,966,524	3,525,939
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses, Real Estate		4,480	5,864
Total loans, net of allowance		3,962,044	3,520,075
Loans [Member] | Farm & Ranch [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance		2,957,975	2,540,222
Loans [Member] | Rural Utilities [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Lease Receivable Unpaid Principal Balance		$ 1,008,126	$ 985,609
[1]	Unpaid principal balance is the basis of presentation in disclosures of outstanding balances for Farmer Mac's lines of business.

Loans and Allowance for Losse71

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Allowance for Credit Losses Roll Forward (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Allowance for Loan Losses				$ 5,864,000					$ 5,864,000
Beginning Balance - Reserve for Losses				4,263,000					4,263,000
Beginning Balance - Total Allowance for Losses				10,127,000				$ 13,334,000	10,127,000	$ 13,334,000	$ 16,890,000
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses	$ (3,366,000)	$ 1,164,000	$ (110,000)	(76,000)	$ 462,000	$ (511,000)	$ 1,583,000	(573,000)	(2,388,000)	961,000	481,000
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									(2,180,000)	(2,205,000)	929,000
Total (release of)/provision for losses									208,000	(3,166,000)	448,000
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									(3,772,000)	(86,000)	(4,004,000)
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										45,000
Ending Balance - Allowance for Loan Losses	4,480,000				5,864,000				4,480,000	5,864,000
Ending Balance - Reserve for Losses	2,083,000				4,263,000				2,083,000	4,263,000
Ending Balance - Total Allowance for Losses	6,563,000				10,127,000				6,563,000	10,127,000	13,334,000
Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Total Allowance for Losses				2,519,000				2,124,000	2,519,000	2,124,000
Total (release of)/provision for losses									272,000	395,000
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										0
Ending Balance - Total Allowance for Losses	2,791,000				2,519,000				2,791,000	2,519,000	2,124,000
Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Total Allowance for Losses				2,159,000				2,186,000	2,159,000	2,186,000
Total (release of)/provision for losses									(1,228,000)	(72,000)
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										45,000
Ending Balance - Total Allowance for Losses	931,000				2,159,000				931,000	2,159,000	2,186,000
Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Total Allowance for Losses				1,423,000				1,271,000	1,423,000	1,271,000
Total (release of)/provision for losses									358,000	209,000
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									0	(57,000)
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										0
Ending Balance - Total Allowance for Losses	1,781,000				1,423,000				1,781,000	1,423,000	1,271,000
Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Total Allowance for Losses				467,000				454,000	467,000	454,000
Total (release of)/provision for losses									52,000	42,000
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									(111,000)	(29,000)
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										0
Ending Balance - Total Allowance for Losses	408,000				467,000				408,000	467,000	454,000
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Total Allowance for Losses				3,552,000				7,292,000	3,552,000	7,292,000
Total (release of)/provision for losses									758,000	(3,740,000)
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs										0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										0
Ending Balance - Total Allowance for Losses	649,000				3,552,000				649,000	3,552,000	7,292,000
Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Total Allowance for Losses				7,000				7,000	7,000	7,000
Total (release of)/provision for losses									(4,000)	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										0
Ending Balance - Total Allowance for Losses	3,000				7,000				3,000	7,000	7,000
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Allowance for Loan Losses				5,864,000				6,866,000	5,864,000	6,866,000	11,351,000
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses									(2,388,000)	961,000	481,000
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									(3,661,000)	(86,000)	(4,004,000)
Ending Balance - Allowance for Loan Losses	4,480,000				5,864,000				4,480,000	5,864,000	6,866,000
Reserve for Off-balance Sheet Activities [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance - Reserve for Losses				$ 4,263,000				$ 6,468,000	4,263,000	6,468,000	5,539,000
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									(2,180,000)	(2,205,000)	929,000
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs									0	0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Recovery										0
Ending Balance - Reserve for Losses	$ 2,083,000				$ 4,263,000				$ 2,083,000	$ 4,263,000	6,468,000
Eligible Loans [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Write-downs											$ (3,600,000)

Loans and Allowance for Losse72

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Allowance for Losses by Impairment Method and Commodity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		$ 5,649,604	$ 5,334,737
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		75,695	82,437
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[2]	5,725,299	5,417,174
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		4,713	7,490
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		1,850	2,637
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		6,563	10,127	$ 13,334	$ 16,890
Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		3,224,911	2,926,501
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		18,740	14,765
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,243,651	2,941,266
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		2,315	2,122
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		476	397
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		2,791	2,519	2,124
Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		917,127	881,052
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		24,284	39,143
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	941,411	920,195
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		571	644
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		360	1,515
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		931	2,159	2,186
Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		1,221,983	1,245,335
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		14,798	15,283
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,236,781	1,260,618
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		994	1,062
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		787	361
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		1,781	1,423	1,271
Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		203,090	160,708
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		8,035	13,246
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	211,125	173,954
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		181	103
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		227	364
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		408	467	454
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		72,152	114,360
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		9,838	0
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	81,990	114,360
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		649	3,552
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		649	3,552	7,292
Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		10,341	6,781
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	10,341	6,781
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		3	7
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		3	7	$ 7
On-balance sheet [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		2,900,868	2,473,780
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		57,107	66,442
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,957,975	2,540,222
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		3,387	3,531
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		1,093	2,333
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		4,480	5,864
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		1,911,039	1,621,360
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		12,803	12,307
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,923,842	1,633,667
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		1,968	1,824
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		290	283
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		2,258	2,107
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		433,654	359,517
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		21,247	35,904
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	454,901	395,421
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		434	495
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		218	1,410
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		652	1,905
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		444,320	406,049
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		5,958	6,571
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	450,278	412,620
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		702	658
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		384	328
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		1,086	986
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		92,712	57,851
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		7,261	11,660
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	99,973	69,511
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		116	51
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		201	312
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		317	363
On-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		15,944	29,003
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		9,838	0
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	25,782	29,003
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		167	503
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		167	503
On-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		3,199	0
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,199	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		0	0
Off-balance sheet [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		2,748,736	2,860,957
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		18,588	15,995
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,767,324	2,876,952
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		1,326	3,959
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		757	304
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		2,083	4,263
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		1,313,872	1,305,141
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		5,937	2,458
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,319,809	1,307,599
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		347	298
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		186	114
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		533	412
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		483,473	521,535
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		3,037	3,239
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	486,510	524,774
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		137	149
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		142	105
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		279	254
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		777,663	839,286
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		8,840	8,712
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	786,503	847,998
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		292	404
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		403	33
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		695	437
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		110,378	102,857
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		774	1,586
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	111,152	104,443
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		65	52
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		26	52
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		91	104
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		56,208	85,357
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	56,208	85,357
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		482	3,049
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		482	3,049
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Additional Information [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		7,142	6,781
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	7,142	6,781
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment		3	7
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Individually Evaluated for Impairment		0	0
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses		$ 3	$ 7
[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).

Loans and Allowance for Losse73

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Impaired Financing Receivables (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	$ 23,607		$ 22,291
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	23,562		21,840
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	52,115	[1]	61,772	[2]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	52,133		60,597
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	75,722		84,063
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	75,695		82,437
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	1,850		2,637
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	41,672	[3]	30,152	[4]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	90,691		90,009
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Cash Basis Method	1,514		1,533
Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	3,772		4,877
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	3,720		4,723
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	15,103	[1]	10,753	[2]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	15,020		10,042
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	18,875		15,630
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	18,740		14,765
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	476		397
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	5,105	[3]	5,168	[4]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	22,315		20,625
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Cash Basis Method	381		373
Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	12,340		5,837
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	12,346		5,750
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	11,939	[1]	33,690	[2]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	11,938		33,393
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	24,279		39,527
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	24,284		39,143
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	360		1,515
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	16,546	[3]	14,413	[4]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	36,326		43,221
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Cash Basis Method	472		474
Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	5,644		9,576
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	5,645		9,386
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	9,050	[1]	5,979	[2]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	9,153		5,897
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	14,694		15,555
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	14,798		15,283
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	787		361
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	4,313	[3]	4,438	[4]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	14,077		13,543
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Cash Basis Method	353		327
Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	1,851		2,001
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	1,851		1,981
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	6,185	[1]	11,350	[2]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	6,184		11,265
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	8,036		13,351
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	8,035		13,246
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	227		364
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	5,870	[3]	6,133	[4]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	10,605		12,596
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Cash Basis Method	308		359
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	0		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	9,838	[1]	0	[2]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	9,838		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	9,838		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	9,838		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	0		0
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	9,838	[3]	0	[4]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	7,368		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Cash Basis Method	0		0
Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	0		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, with No Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Recorded Investment	0	[1]	0	[2]
Impaired Financing Receivable, with Related Allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	0		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	0		0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	0		0
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	0	[3]	0	[4]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	0		24
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Cash Basis Method	0		0
Collateral Dependent Not Individually Analyzed [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	46,400		54,400
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	$ 1,000		$ 1,200
Impaired Financing Receivable, Impairment analysis performed percent	61.00%		65.00%
Less than 90 days past due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	$ 14,700	[3]	$ 11,700	[4]
[1]	Impairment analysis was performed in the aggregate in consideration of similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics on $46.4 million (61 percent) of impaired loans as of December 31, 2015, which resulted in a specific reserve of $1.0 million.
[2]	Impairment analysis was performed in the aggregate in consideration of similar risk characteristics of the assets and historical statistics on $54.4 million (65 percent) of impaired loans as of December 31, 2014, which resulted in a specific reserve of $1.2 million.
[3]	Includes $14.7 million of loans that are less than 90 days delinquent but which have not met Farmer Mac's performance criteria for returning to accrual status.
[4]	Includes $11.7 million of loans that are less than 90 days delinquent but which have not met Farmer Mac's performance criteria for returning to accrual status.

Loans and Allowance for Losse74

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Troubled Debt Restructurings (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)
Receivables [Abstract]
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Pre-Modification Recorded Investment	$ 1,100,000	$ 5,300,000	$ 1,100,000
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	$ 1,100,000	$ 6,000,000	$ 1,100,000
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Subsequent Default, Number of Contracts	0
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Subsequent Default, Recorded Investment	$ 0
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Subsequent Default, Determination of Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0	100,000

Loans and Allowance for Losse75

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)defaulted_loan	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)defaulted_loan	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)defaulted_loan
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities Acquired During Period [Line Items]
Certain Loans Acquired In Transfer Not Accounted For As Debt Securities, Number Defaulted | defaulted_loan	6	2	11
Payments to Acquire Other Loans and Leases Held-for-investment	$ 16,907	$ 705	$ 6,704
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, Acquired During Period, Contractually Required Payments Receivable at Acquisition, During the Period	17,036	705	6,907
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, Provision for Loan Losses	3,772	69	477
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, Allowance for Loan Losses, Decreases	1,019	233	949
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, Outstanding Balance	36,195	24,921	32,838
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, Carrying Amount, Net	34,015	22,149	29,613
Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments [Member]
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities Acquired During Period [Line Items]
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, UPB at acquisition	13,500	705	37
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities Acquired During Period [Line Items]
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, UPB at acquisition	$ 3,407	$ 0	$ 6,667

Loans and Allowance for Losse76

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Certain Loans Acquired Delinquencies and Net Credit Losses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[2]	$ 32,136	[1]	$ 18,917	[3]
Net credit losses (recoveries)		3,853		(6)		$ 2,975
Certain Loans Acquired In Transfer Not Accounted For As Debt Securities, Subject To Be Purchased	[2]	0		1,800
On-balance sheet [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[2]	26,935	[1]	18,427	[3]
Net credit losses (recoveries)		3,853		(6)		2,975
Off-balance sheet [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[2]	5,201	[1]	490	[3]
Net credit losses (recoveries)		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
[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]	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, excluding loans performing under either their original loan terms or a court-approved bankruptcy plan.
[3]	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.

Loans and Allowance for Losse77

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Financing Receivables Credit Quality Indicators (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[2]	$ 5,725,299		$ 5,417,174
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[3]	32,136	[1]	18,917	[4]
Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	5,509,463		5,172,691
Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	111,336		111,888
Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	104,500		132,595
Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,243,651		2,941,266
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		5,167	[1]	4,175	[4]
Crops [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,168,216		2,887,319
Crops [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	46,677		30,417
Crops [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	28,758		23,530
Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	941,411		920,195
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		7,405	[1]	6,869	[4]
Permanent Plantings [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	904,373		856,901
Permanent Plantings [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	9,842		18,180
Permanent Plantings [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	27,196		45,114
Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,236,781		1,260,618
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		7,059	[1]	5,045	[4]
Livestock [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,162,475		1,174,057
Livestock [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	48,438		61,320
Livestock [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	25,868		25,241
Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	211,125		173,954
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		2,667	[1]	2,828	[4]
Part-Time Farm [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	192,531		154,931
Part-Time Farm [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	5,856		1,963
Part-Time Farm [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	12,738		17,060
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	81,990		114,360
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		9,838	[1]	0	[4]
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	72,152		93,366
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]	9,838		20,994
Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	10,341		6,781
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]	9,716		6,117
Other Commodity [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	523		8
Other Commodity [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	102		656
On-balance sheet [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,957,975		2,540,222
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[3]	26,935	[1]	18,427	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,837,487		2,419,285
On-balance sheet [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	63,106		54,495
On-balance sheet [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	57,382		66,442
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,923,842		1,633,667
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		4,656	[1]	4,175	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,888,762		1,604,546
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	22,255		16,814
On-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	12,825		12,307
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	454,901		395,421
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		7,405	[1]	6,869	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	431,038		353,487
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	2,616		6,030
On-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	21,247		35,904
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	450,278		412,620
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		2,517	[1]	4,555	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	409,003		375,010
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	35,317		31,039
On-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	5,958		6,571
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	99,973		69,511
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		2,519	[1]	2,828	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	89,541		57,239
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	2,918		612
On-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	7,514		11,660
On-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	25,782		29,003
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		9,838	[1]	0	[4]
On-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	15,944		29,003
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]	9,838		0
On-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	3,199		0
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]	3,199		0
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]	2,767,324		2,876,952
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due	[3]	5,201	[1]	490	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	2,671,976		2,753,406
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	48,230		57,393
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	47,118		66,153
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,319,809		1,307,599
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		511	[1]	0	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,279,454		1,282,773
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	24,422		13,603
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Crops [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	15,933		11,223
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	486,510		524,774
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		0	[1]	0	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	473,335		503,414
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	7,226		12,150
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Permanent Plantings [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	5,949		9,210
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	786,503		847,998
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		4,542	[1]	490	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	753,472		799,047
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	13,121		30,281
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Livestock [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	19,910		18,670
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	111,152		104,443
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due		148	[1]	0	[4]
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Acceptable [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	102,990		97,692
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	2,938		1,351
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Part-Time Farm [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	5,224		5,400
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	56,208		85,357
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]	56,208		64,363
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]	0		20,994
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	7,142		6,781
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]	6,517		6,117
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Special Mention [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[5]	523		8
Off-balance sheet [Member] | Other Commodity [Member] | Substandard [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[6]	$ 102		$ 656
[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, 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.

Loans and Allowance for Losse78

Loans and Allowance for Losses and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Concentrations of Credit Risk (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1],[2]	$ 5,725,299	$ 5,417,174
Northwest [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[2]	582,127	573,135
Southwest [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[2]	1,726,927	1,753,606
Mid-North [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[2]	2,009,654	1,873,041
Mid-South [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[2]	769,831	627,615
Northeast [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[2]	215,883	214,402
Southeast [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[2]	420,877	375,375
Financing Receivables, Original Loan-To-Value Ratio, Range One [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross		$ 1,594,818	1,503,076
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Lower Range Limit		0.00%
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Upper Range Limit		40.00%
Financing Receivables, Original Loan-To-Value Ratio, Range Two [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross		$ 1,279,321	1,191,804
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Lower Range Limit		40.01%
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Upper Range Limit		50.00%
Financing Receivables, Original Loan-To-Value Ratio, Range Three [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross		$ 1,593,025	1,491,502
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Lower Range Limit		50.01%
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Upper Range Limit		60.00%
Financing Receivables, Original Loan-To-Value Ratio, Range Four [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross		$ 1,107,710	1,091,759
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Lower Range Limit		60.01%
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Upper Range Limit		70.00%
Financing Receivables, Original Loan-To-Value Ratio, Range Five [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross		$ 126,860	115,645
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Lower Range Limit		70.01%
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Upper Range Limit		80.00%
Financing Receivables, Original Loan-To-Value Ratio, Range Six [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross		$ 23,565	23,388
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Lower Range Limit		80.01%
Financing Receivables, Loan-To-Value Ratio Range, Upper Range Limit		90.00%
Crops [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	$ 3,243,651	2,941,266
Permanent Plantings [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	941,411	920,195
Livestock [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	1,236,781	1,260,618
Part-Time Farm [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	211,125	173,954
Agriculture Storage and Processing [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	81,990	114,360
Other Commodity [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Gross	[1]	$ 10,341	$ 6,781
[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).

Equity - Common Stock Narrativ

Equity - Common Stock Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 08, 2015
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid	$ 0.16	$ 0.14	$ 0.12
Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount					$ 25,000
Repurchase of Class C Common Stock				362,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value				$ 10,518

Equity - Preferred Stock (Deta

Equity - Preferred Stock (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	3,000,000		3,000,000
Preferred stock, par value	$ 25		$ 25
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs	$ 1.6
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	3,000,000		3,000,000
Retired Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference Per Share	$ 1,000
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	3,000,000		3,000,000
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage	6.875%
Preferred stock, par value	$ 25		$ 25
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs	$ 1.9
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	3,000,000		3,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	2,400,000		2,400,000
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage	5.875%
Preferred stock, par value	$ 25		$ 25
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference Per Share	$ 25
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs		$ 1.7
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	2,400,000		2,400,000
July 17, 2024, thereafter [Member] | Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Dividend Variable Rate, Percentage	3.26%
Up to but excluding July 17, 2024 [Member] | Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage	6.00%

Equity - Non-Controlling Inter

Equity - Non-Controlling Interest (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	Jan. 25, 2010	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Redemption of Farmer Mac II LLC preferred stock						$ (244,000)	$ (6,000)
Issuance Costs on the retirement of Farmer Mac II LLC Preferred Stock		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 8,147	$ 8,147	$ 0	$ 0
Farmer Mac II LLC [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received on Transaction	$ 250,000
Farmer Mac II LLC [Member] | Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference Per Share		$ 1,000				$ 1,000
Private Placement [Member] | Farmer Mac II LLC [Member] | Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Number of Shares Issued in Transaction	250,000

Equity - Equity-based Incentiv

Equity - Equity-based Incentive Compensation Plans (Details) - $ / shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 28.17	$ 29.37	$ 30.20
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 32.39	$ 35.60	$ 37.17
Officers and certain employees [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Terms of Award		P10Y0M0D

Equity - Schedule of Stock Opt

Equity - Schedule of Stock Options, SARs, and Non-vested Restricted Stock Outstanding (Details) - $ / shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Equity [Abstract]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	747,573	718,143	664,245	788,748
Stock Options and SARs Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 26.68	$ 25.12	$ 23.78	$ 20.89
Stock Options and SARs Grants in Period, Net of Forfeitures	119,110	87,600	94,017
Stock Options and SARs Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 32.25	$ 34.92	$ 31.24
Stock Options and SARs Exercises in Period	86,680	23,035	208,877
Stock Options and SARs Exercises in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 21.32	$ 20.83	$ 16.24
Stock Options and SARs Forfeitures and Expirations in Period	3,000	10,667	9,643
Stock Options and SARs Forfeitures and Expirations in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 30.05	$ 31.16	$ 23.02
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	543,698	548,180	483,216
Stock Options and SARs Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 24.34	$ 23.12	$ 22.83
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	132,651	103,772	98,285	91,311
Restricted Stock, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 32.12	$ 31.24	$ 27.66	$ 18.75
Restricted Stock, Grants in Period	76,616	57,590	73,985
Restricted Stock Awarded, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 32.14	$ 33.88	$ 30.27
Restricted Stock, Forfeited in Period	0	8,360	1,000
Restricted Stock, Forfeitures, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 0	$ 21.72	$ 31.42
Restricted Stock, Net of Forfeitures Stock Issued During Period, Shares,	47,737	43,743	66,011
Restricted Stock, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 30.25	$ 28.48	$ 18.21

Equity - Narrative Related to

Equity - Narrative Related to Share Based Compensation (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)shares	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)shares	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised	$ 1,700,000	$ 200,000	$ 1,900,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit Realized from Exercise of Stock Options	800,000	600,000	2,100,000
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Share-based Compensation and Exercise of Stock Options	$ 1,000,000	$ (41,000)	$ 1,100,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Other | shares	491	604	842
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Other	$ 14,000	$ 20,000	$ 26,000
Common Class C, Non-Voting [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Board of Directors	4	5	7

Equity - Schedule of Share Bas

Equity - Schedule of Share Based Compensation Activity (Details) - shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	747,573	718,143	664,245	788,748
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	543,698	548,180	483,216
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	736,851
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs Vested and Expected to Vest	8 years 2 months 12 days
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	132,651	103,772	98,285	91,311
$5.00 to $9.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	18,666
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs	3 years 3 months 24 days
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	18,666
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs - Exercisable	3 years 3 months 24 days
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	18,666
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs Vested and Expected to Vest	3 years 3 months 24 days
$10.00 to $14.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	66,665
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs	4 years 4 months 24 days
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	66,665
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs - Exercisable	4 years 4 months 24 days
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	66,665
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs Vested and Expected to Vest	4 years 4 months 24 days
$15.00 - $19.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	62,000
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs	5 years 4 months 24 days
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	62,000
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs - Exercisable	5 years 4 months 24 days
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	62,000
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs Vested and Expected to Vest	5 years 4 months 24 days
$20.00 to $24.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	100,500
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs	5 years 1 month 24 days
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	100,500
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs - Exercisable	5 years 1 month 24 days
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	100,500
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs Vested and Expected to Vest	5 years 1 month 24 days
$25.00 to $29.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	191,009
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs	1 year 11 months 6 days
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	187,009
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs - Exercisable	1 year 8 months
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	190,809
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs Vested and Expected to Vest	1 year 11 months 6 days
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	6,778
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	2 years 1 month 12 days
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual LIfe Expected to Vest Restricted Stock	2 years 1 month 12 days
$30.00 to $34.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	250,733
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs	7 years 9 months 6 days
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	90,864
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs - Exercisable	6 years 1 month 12 days
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	241,931
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs Vested and Expected to Vest	7 years 9 months 6 days
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	124,324
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	1 year 2 months 12 days
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual LIfe Expected to Vest Restricted Stock	1 year 2 months 12 days
$35.00 to $39.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of Outstanding of Stock Options and SARs	58,000
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs	8 years 2 months 12 days
Exercisable Number of Stock Options and SARs	17,994
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Stock Options and SARs - Exercisable	8 years 3 months 12 days
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	56,280
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	1,549
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	1 year 2 months 18 days
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual LIfe Expected to Vest Restricted Stock	1 year 2 months 18 days
Expected to Vest [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	125,916
Expected to Vest [Member] | $25.00 to $29.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	6,439
Expected to Vest [Member] | $30.00 to $34.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	117,990
Expected to Vest [Member] | $35.00 to $39.99 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Outstanding Non-Vested Restricted Stock	1,487

Equity - Schedule of Share B86

Equity - Schedule of Share Based Payment Awards, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Equity [Abstract]
Vested or Expected to Vest Stock Options and SARs	736,851
Vested and Expected to Vest Options and SARs, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 26.59
Options, SARs, and non-vested restricted stock Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 8.1	$ 7.2
Options and SARs Exercises in Period, Intrinsic Value	0.9	$ 0.3	$ 3.8
Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 3.2
Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 8 months 5 days
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value of Options SARs and restricted stock awards	$ 17.97	$ 21.11	$ 23.12
Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 3.3	$ 2.9	$ 3
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	1.20%	1.50%	0.60%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term, Simplified Method	P4Y	P4Y	P4Y
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	38.00%	49.70%	83.40%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Dividend Rate	2.00%	1.60%	1.50%
Restricted Stock Awarded, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 32.14	$ 33.88	$ 30.27

Equity - Capital Requirements

Equity - Capital Requirements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Equity [Abstract]
Capital Requirements, Minimum Capital, Percentage of Aggregate On-Balance Sheet Assets Included In Core Capital	2.75%
Capital Requirements, Minimum Capital, Percentage of Aggregate Off-Balance Sheet Assets Included In Core Capital	0.75%
Capital Requirements, Critical Capital, Percentage of Core Capital of Total Minimum Capital	50.00%
Minimum Capital Required	$ 462.1	$ 421.3
Core Capital Level	564.5	766.3
Excess Core Capital Level	$ 102.4	$ 345

Income Taxes - Components of I

Income Taxes - Components of Income Tax Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Current income tax expense									$ 30,247	$ 9,803	$ 27,082
Deferred income taxes									3,992	(6,979)	6,670
Income tax expense	$ 9,912	$ 6,327	$ 13,769	$ 4,231	$ 2,769	$ 7,564	$ (6,368)	$ (1,141)	$ 34,239	$ 2,824	$ 33,752

Income Taxes - Statutory Feder

Income Taxes - Statutory Federal Tax Rate (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Tax expense at statutory rate									$ 37,827	$ 25,587	$ 45,943
Non-taxable dividend income									0	(1,587)	(2,116)
Income from non-controlling interest									(1,874)	(7,766)	(7,766)
Loss on retirement of preferred stock									(1,901)	0	0
Valuation allowance									33	(13,542)	(2,693)
Other									154	132	384
Income tax expense	$ 9,912	$ 6,327	$ 13,769	$ 4,231	$ 2,769	$ 7,564	$ (6,368)	$ (1,141)	$ 34,239	$ 2,824	$ 33,752
Statutory tax rate									35.00%	35.00%	35.00%

Income Taxes - Deferred Taxes

Income Taxes - Deferred Taxes and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Valuation Allowance [Line Items]
Basis differences related to financial derivatives	$ 28,395	$ 30,921
Basis differences related to securities	2,866	4,218
Unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities	5,660	0
Allowance for losses	2,297	3,545
Stock-based compensation	2,833	2,443
Capital loss carryforwards and other than temporary impairment	2,099	2,105
Other	1,444	1,205
Total deferred tax assets	43,495	42,332
Unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities	0	8,448
Basis difference in subsidiary	300	195
Other	279	298
Total deferred tax liability	579	8,941
Deferred tax asset, net	42,916	33,391
Capital Loss Carryforward [Member]
Valuation Allowance [Line Items]
Valuation allowance	$ (2,099)	$ (2,105)

Income Taxes - Valuation Allow

Income Taxes - Valuation Allowance (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Valuation allowance	$ 33	$ (13,542)	$ (2,693)
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount	5,900
Capital loss carryforwards and other than temporary impairment	2,099	2,105
Expired Capital Loss Carryforward [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount	100	63,700
Capital loss carryforwards and other than temporary impairment	0	22,300
Capital Loss Carryforward [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	$ 2,099	$ 2,105

Income Taxes - Unrecognized Ta

Income Taxes - Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1,148	$ 1,046
Decreases based on tax positions related to prior years	0	(1,148)	0
Increases based on tax positions related to current year	$ 0	$ 0	$ 102

Employee Benefits - Employee93

Employee Benefits - Employee Benefits (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Contribution Plan Wage Base	$ 265,000	$ 260,000	$ 255,000
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Requisite Service Period	3 years
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized	$ 1,200,000	$ 1,200,000	$ 1,100,000
Base Percentage [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contribution percentage to retirement plan	13.20%
Excess Percentage for amounts above Social Security taxable wage base] [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer contribution percentage to retirement plan	5.70%

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees 94

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments - Schedule of Guarantee and Commitment Obligations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Term of Guarantees Minimum	1 year
Term of Guarantees Maximum	30 years
Guarantee and commitment obligation	$ 38,609	$ 37,925	$ 39,667	$ 37,803
Additions to the guarantee and commitment obligation(1)	8,207	4,966	8,414
Amortization of the guarantee and commitment obligation	(7,523)	(6,708)	$ (6,550)
Guarantee obligations issued after January 1, 2003 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	4,500,000	3,800,000
Guarantee obligations issued prior to January 1, 2003 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 56,200	$ 70,600

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees 95

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments - Off-Balance Sheet Guaranteed Securities (Details) - Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 1,809,194	$ 1,636,592
Farm & Ranch [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	514,051	636,086
USDA Guarantees [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	10,272	13,978
Institutional Credit [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	984,871	986,528
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 300,000	$ 0

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees 96

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments - Cash Flows from Off-balance sheet Guaranteed Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities	$ 336,913	$ 175,754	$ 150,417
Proceeds from Fees Received	4,028	4,612	5,182
Payments to Acquire Loans and Leases Held-for-investment	$ (3,407)	$ 0	$ (6,667)
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Weighted average remaining maturity, Loans underlying guarantees not held by transferor	11 years 3 months 18 days	12 years
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	$ 8,300	$ 11,100
Institutional Credit [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Weighted average remaining maturity, Loans underlying guarantees not held by transferor	1 year 8 months 8 days	2 years 5 months 5 days

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees 97

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments - Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 2,800	$ 2,200
Weighted average remaining maturity, Loans underlying guarantees not held by transferor	14 years 7 months 10 days	14 years 3 months 18 days
Guarantee obligations issued after January 1, 2003 [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 4,500	$ 3,800
Guarantee obligations issued after January 1, 2003 [Member] | Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	30.3	26.8
Farm & Ranch Loans and USDA Guarantees [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments to Purchase or Sell	60.9	29.7
Rural Utilities Loans [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments to Purchase or Sell	$ 4	$ 4

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees 98

Off-Balance Sheet Guarantees and Long Term Standby Purchase Commitments - Future Minimum Lease Payments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net	$ 1,300	$ 1,300	$ 1,300
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Next Twelve Months	1,392
Contractual Obligation, Due in Next Fiscal Year	996
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years	1,412
Contractual Obligation, Due in Second Year	356
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years	1,388
Contractual Obligation, Due in Third Year	0
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years	1,389
Contractual Obligation, Due in Fourth Year	0
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years	1,423
Contractual Obligation, Due in Fifth Year	0
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter	5,527
Contractual Obligation, Due after Fifth Year	0
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due	12,531
Contractual Obligation	$ 1,352

Fair Value Disclosures - Narra

Fair Value Disclosures - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Credit Risk Valuation Adjustment, Derivative Assets	$ 0.2	$ 0.2
Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets and Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 6,100	$ 5,500
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Fair Value as Percent of Total Assets	39.00%	38.00%
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities, Fair Value as Percent of Total Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value	69.00%	73.00%

Fair Value Disclosures - Fa100

Fair Value Disclosures - Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	$ 3,816	$ 4,177
Derivative Liability	39,213	38,217
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	3,962,044	3,520,075
Real estate owned, at lower of cost or fair value	1,369	421
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	3,816	4,177
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	8,849,256	7,374,178
Derivative Liability	77,199	84,844
Financial and Nonfinancial Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure	77,199	84,844
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	19	0
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	992,807	1,050,691
Derivative Liability	0	3
Financial and Nonfinancial Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	3
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	3,797	4,177
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	1,741,110	851,409
Derivative Liability	77,199	84,841
Financial and Nonfinancial Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure	77,199	84,841
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	0	0
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	6,115,339	5,472,078
Derivative Liability	0	0
Financial and Nonfinancial Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	11,831	5,973
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	11,443	5,973
Real estate owned, at lower of cost or fair value	388
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	0	0
Real estate owned, at lower of cost or fair value	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	0	0
Real estate owned, at lower of cost or fair value	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure	11,831	5,973
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	11,443	5,973
Real estate owned, at lower of cost or fair value	388
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	4,121,244	3,631,662
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	4,121,244	3,631,662
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	31,361	27,619
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	31,361	27,619
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	4,152,605	3,659,281
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	4,152,605	3,659,281
Investment Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	2,775,516	1,939,188
Investment Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	992,788	1,050,691
Investment Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,737,313	847,232
Investment Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	45,415	41,265
Investment Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	2,775,025	1,938,499
Investment Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	992,788	1,050,691
Investment Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,737,313	847,232
Investment Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	44,924	40,576
Investment Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	491	689
Investment Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Investment Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Investment Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	491	689
USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,917,319	1,771,532
USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,917,319	1,771,532
USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,888,344	1,731,222
USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
USDA Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,888,344	1,731,222
USDA Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	28,975	40,310
USDA Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
USDA Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
USDA Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	28,975	40,310
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	44,924	40,576
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	44,924	40,576
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	73,729	100,902
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	73,729	100,902
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	491	689
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	491	689
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	9,991	10,091
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	9,991	10,091
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,355,459	612,753
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	1,355,459	612,753
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member} | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	66,249	66,320
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member} | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member} | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	66,249	66,320
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | GSE Subordinated Debt [Member} | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Senior Agency Debt [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	213,987	18,939
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Senior Agency Debt [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Senior Agency Debt [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	213,987	18,939
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Senior Agency Debt [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure		74,979
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure		74,979
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure		0
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure		0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	9,994	30,025
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	9,994	30,025
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	7,904	8,202
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	7,904	8,202
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | Government/GSE Guaranteed Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	992,788	975,712
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	992,788	975,712
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0
Fixed Interest Rate [Member] | US Treasury Securities [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 0	$ 0

Fair Value Disclosures - Unobs

Fair Value Disclosures - Unobservable Input Reconciliation (Details) - Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				$ (235)	$ 0		$ (235)		$ (691)
Purchases							0		0
Sales							0		0
Settlements							0		0
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income							235		456
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income							0		0
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		$ 0					0		(235)
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				6,770,031	5,472,078		6,770,031		6,421,447
Purchases					1,055,501		1,434,461		1,635,627
Sales					0		(26,675)		0
Settlements					(394,307)		(1,153,191)		(1,129,054)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					4,210		15,292		(19,049)
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					(22,143)		64,946		(138,940)
Transfers Out							(1,632,786)
Ending Balance		5,472,078			6,115,339		5,472,078		6,770,031
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance									(691)
Investment Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				66,418	41,265		66,418		64,406
Purchases					0		0		233
Sales					0		(26,675)		0
Settlements					(657)		(890)		(798)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					359		(379)		455
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					4,448		2,791		2,122
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		41,265			45,415		41,265		66,418
USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Trading Securities, Unrealized Gains					900		1,800		500
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				1,612,013	1,771,532		1,612,013		1,590,783
Purchases					363,621		335,359		361,894
Sales					0		0		0
Settlements					(245,481)		(228,585)		(278,605)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					761		1,151		(1,274)
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					26,886		51,594		(60,785)
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		1,771,532			1,917,319		1,771,532		1,612,013
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Investment Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				65,490	40,576		65,490		63,159
Purchases					0		0		233
Sales					0		(26,675)		0
Settlements					0		(205)		(24)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					(100)		(825)		0
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					4,448		2,791		2,122
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		40,576			44,924		40,576		65,490
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				5,091,600	3,659,281		5,091,600		4,766,258
Purchases					691,880		1,099,102		1,273,500
Sales					0		0		0
Settlements					(148,169)		(923,716)		(849,651)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					3,090		14,520		(18,230)
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					(53,477)		10,561		(80,277)
Transfers Out							(1,632,786)
Ending Balance		3,659,281			4,152,605		3,659,281		5,091,600
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				1,553,669	1,731,222		1,553,669		1,486,595
Purchases					363,621		335,359		361,894
Sales					0		0		0
Settlements					(233,385)		(209,400)		(234,035)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					0		0		0
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					26,886		51,594		(60,785)
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		1,731,222			1,888,344		1,731,222		1,553,669
Trading Securities [Member] | Investment Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				928	689		928		1,247
Purchases					0		0		0
Sales					0		0		0
Settlements					(657)		(685)		(774)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					459		446		455
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					0		0		0
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		689			491		689		928
Trading Securities [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				58,344	40,310		58,344		104,188
Purchases					0		0		0
Sales					0		0		0
Settlements					(12,096)		(19,185)		(44,570)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					761		1,151		(1,274)
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					0		0		0
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		40,310			28,975		40,310		58,344
Institutional Credit [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				5,070,366	3,631,662	[1]	5,070,366		4,739,577
Purchases					678,566	[1]	1,091,475		1,273,500
Sales					0	[1]	0		0
Settlements					(138,687)	[1]	(922,908)		(844,437)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					3,090	[1]	14,520		(18,230)
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					(53,387)	[1]	10,995		(80,044)
Transfers Out		0		(1,600,000)	0		(1,632,786)		0
Ending Balance		3,631,662	[1]		4,121,244	[1]	3,631,662	[1]	5,070,366
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				21,234	27,619		21,234		26,681
Purchases					13,314		7,627		0
Sales					0		0		0
Settlements					(9,482)		(808)		(5,214)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					0		0		0
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					(90)		(434)		(233)
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		27,619			31,361		27,619		21,234
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				65,285	40,576		65,285		63,159
Purchases					0		0		0
Sales					0		(26,675)		0
Settlements					0		0		0
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income					(100)		(825)		0
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income					4,448		2,791		2,126
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		40,576			44,924		40,576		65,285
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance				205	0		205		0
Purchases							0		233
Sales							0		0
Settlements							(205)		(24)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income							0		0
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income							0		(4)
Transfers Out							0
Ending Balance		0					0		205
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	[2]			$ 928	689		928		1,247
Purchases	[2]				0		0		0
Sales	[2]				0		0		0
Settlements	[2]				(657)		(685)		(774)
Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Income	[2]				459		446		455
Unrealized Gains/(Losses) included in Other Comprehen-sive Income	[2]				0		0		0
Transfers Out	[2]						0
Ending Balance	[2]	$ 689			$ 491		$ 689		$ 928
[1]	Includes unrealized gains of $0.9 million attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2015 that are recorded in "Gains/(losses) on trading securities."
[2]	Unrealized gains are attributable to assets still held as of December 31, 2015 and are recorded in "Gains/(losses) on trading securities."

Fair Value Disclosures - Quant

Fair Value Disclosures - Quantitative Information (Details) - Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Institutional Credit [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	$ 4,121,244	$ 3,631,662
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	31,361	27,619
USDA Guarantees [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	1,917,319	1,771,532
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Market Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Available-for-sale, at fair value	44,924	40,576
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Trading, at fair value	$ 491	$ 689
Floating Interest Rate [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	10.00%	10.00%
Minimum [Member] | Market Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Range of Offered Quotes	92.00%	82.00%
Minimum [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	18.30%	14.30%
Minimum [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.10%	0.70%
Minimum [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.00%	0.80%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	9.00%	0.00%
Minimum [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.30%	1.10%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	0.00%	0.00%
Maximum [Member] | Market Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Range of Offered Quotes	99.60%	94.00%
Maximum [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	23.90%	23.90%
Maximum [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	3.30%	2.70%
Maximum [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	3.90%	3.60%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	20.00%	21.00%
Maximum [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	5.10%	5.30%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	19.00%	20.00%
Weighted Average [Member] | Market Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Floating rate auction-rate certificates backed by Government guaranteed student loans | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Range of Offered Quotes	96.60%	87.10%
Weighted Average [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	21.50%	19.10%
Weighted Average [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.80%	1.30%
Weighted Average [Member] | Institutional Credit [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	1.80%	1.90%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	10.00%	9.00%
Weighted Average [Member] | USDA Guarantees [Member] | Cost Approach Valuation Technique [Member] | USDA Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	3.10%	3.20%
Fair Value Inputs, Prepayment Rate	7.00%	8.00%

Fair Value Disclosures - Summa

Fair Value Disclosures - Summary of Carrying Value and Fair Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Financial derivatives	$ 3,816	$ 4,177
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable:	40,189	39,462
Derivative Liability	39,213	38,217
Guarantee and commitment obligation	38,609	37,925	$ 39,667	$ 37,803
Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,210,084	1,363,387
Loans	3,962,044	3,520,075
Financial derivatives	3,816	4,177
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	713,536	424,214
Derivative Liability	77,199	84,844
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Investment Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	2,775,516	1,939,188
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	5,426,621	5,453,901
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	1,917,319	1,771,532
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable:	31,240	27,807
Guarantee and commitment obligation	30,301	26,843
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable:	8,949	11,655
Guarantee and commitment obligation	8,308	11,082
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Due within one year [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Notes payable:	9,111,461	7,353,953
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Notes payable:	4,967,036	5,471,186
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,210,084	1,363,387
Loans	4,027,660	3,547,424
Financial derivatives	3,816	4,177
Debt securities of consolidated trusts held by third parties	713,316	423,085
Derivative Liability	77,199	84,844
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Investment Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	2,775,516	1,939,188
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	5,434,422	5,459,857
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | USDA Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	1,917,319	1,771,532
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Long-Term Standby Purchase Commitments [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable:	31,953	29,095
Guarantee and commitment obligation	31,015	28,130
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Guarantee and commitment fees receivable:	8,872	11,876
Guarantee and commitment obligation	8,230	11,303
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Due within one year [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Notes payable:	9,108,468	7,357,770
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Notes payable:	$ 5,009,310	$ 5,556,570

Business Segment Reporting 104

Business Segment Reporting - Business Segment Reporting Narrative (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of Operating Segments	4

Business Segment Reporting - C

Business Segment Reporting - Core Earnings - Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Interest Income	$ 67,562	$ 66,918	$ 66,392	$ 63,951	$ 60,730	$ 63,410	$ 64,475	$ 52,452	$ 264,823	[1]	$ 241,067	[2]	$ 246,729	[2]
Interest Income Reclassification									0		0		0
Total interest expense	(36,591)	(34,735)	(34,528)	(33,162)	(44,606)	(48,886)	(42,502)	(34,726)	(139,016)	[3]	(170,720)	[4]	(137,276)	[4]
Net effective spread	30,971	32,183	31,864	30,789	16,124	14,524	21,973	17,726	125,807		70,347		109,453
Guarantee and commitment fees	3,780	3,532	3,388	3,377	3,563	3,644	3,703	3,784	14,077		14,694		15,627
Other Non-Interest Income (Expense), Excluding Guarantee and Commitment Fees									6,064	[5]	18,596	[6]	38,813	[6]
Non-interest income	6,440	(4,981)	18,207	475	9,134	20,927	6,264	(3,035)	20,141		33,290		54,440
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses	(3,366)	1,164	(110)	(76)	462	(511)	1,583	(573)	(2,388)		961		481
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									2,180		2,205		(929)
Noninterest Expense, Excluding Loan, Lease and Other Losses									(37,662)		(33,697)		(32,178)
Non-interest expense	(5,865)	(10,421)	(10,853)	(8,343)	(8,594)	(7,095)	(7,856)	(7,947)	(35,482)	[7]	(31,492)	[8]	(33,107)	[8]
Income before income taxes	28,180	17,945	39,108	22,845	17,126	27,845	21,964	6,171	108,078		73,106		131,267
Income tax expense	(9,912)	(6,327)	(13,769)	(4,231)	(2,769)	(7,564)	6,368	1,141	(34,239)		(2,824)		(33,752)
Net income	18,268	11,618	25,339	18,614	14,357	20,281	28,332	7,312	73,839		70,282		97,515
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	(3,296)	(3,295)	(3,296)	(3,295)	(3,296)	(3,283)	(2,308)	(952)	(13,182)		(9,839)		(3,495)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	60	36	119	(5,354)	(5,414)	(5,412)	(5,819)	(5,547)	(5,139)		(22,192)		(22,187)
Loss on retirement of preferred stock	0	0	0	(8,147)					(8,147)		0		0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	15,032	$ 8,359	$ 22,162	$ 1,818	5,647	$ 11,586	$ 20,205	$ 813	47,371		38,251		71,833
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Assets	15,540,354				14,287,821				15,540,354		14,287,821		13,361,780
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	15,898,820				14,597,758				15,898,820		14,597,758		13,950,312
Farm & Ranch [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Interest Income									90,578	[1]	78,934	[2]	67,429	[2]
Interest Income Reclassification									(3,078)		(2,086)		(964)
Total interest expense									(48,696)	[3]	(45,025)	[4]	(32,062)	[4]
Net effective spread									38,804		31,823		34,403
Guarantee and commitment fees									15,076		15,107		14,944
Other Non-Interest Income (Expense), Excluding Guarantee and Commitment Fees									1,040	[5]	762	[6]	2,244	[6]
Non-interest income									16,116		15,869		17,188
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses									(2,388)		961		481
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									2,180		2,205		(929)
Noninterest Expense, Excluding Loan, Lease and Other Losses									(16,876)		(15,180)		(14,649)
Non-interest expense									(14,696)	[7]	(12,975)	[8]	(15,578)	[8]
Segment core earnings before income taxes									37,836		35,678		36,494
Income tax expense									(13,188)		(12,486)		(12,773)
Segment core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attibution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends									24,648		23,192		23,721
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0		0		0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0		0		0
Loss on retirement of preferred stock									0
Segment core earnings									24,648		23,192		23,721
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Assets	3,041,386				2,611,401				3,041,386		2,611,401		2,190,224
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	5,725,299				5,417,174				5,725,299		5,417,174		5,163,080
USDA Guarantees [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Interest Income									59,902	[1]	54,955	[2]	53,384	[2]
Interest Income Reclassification									0		0		0
Total interest expense									(42,063)	[3]	(36,689)	[4]	(35,656)	[4]
Net effective spread									17,839		18,266		17,728
Guarantee and commitment fees									17		134		132
Other Non-Interest Income (Expense), Excluding Guarantee and Commitment Fees									100	[5]	63	[6]	791	[6]
Non-interest income									117		197		923
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses									0		0		0
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									0		0		0
Noninterest Expense, Excluding Loan, Lease and Other Losses									(3,449)		(2,955)		(2,904)
Non-interest expense									(3,449)	[7]	(2,955)	[8]	(2,904)	[8]
Segment core earnings before income taxes									14,507		15,508		15,747
Income tax expense									(5,176)		(5,430)		(5,511)
Segment core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attibution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends									9,331		10,078		10,236
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0		0		0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0		0		0
Loss on retirement of preferred stock									0
Segment core earnings									9,331		10,078		10,236
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Assets	1,977,609				1,825,210				1,977,609		1,825,210		1,656,688
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	1,918,277				1,798,034				1,918,277		1,798,034		1,687,117
Rural Utilities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Interest Income									26,819	[1]	27,879	[2]	35,194	[2]
Interest Income Reclassification									0		0		0
Total interest expense									(15,425)	[3]	(17,138)	[4]	(23,601)	[4]
Net effective spread									11,394		10,741		11,593
Guarantee and commitment fees									397		0		0
Other Non-Interest Income (Expense), Excluding Guarantee and Commitment Fees									25	[5]	9	[6]	0	[6]
Non-interest income									422		9		0
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses									0		0		0
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									0		0		0
Noninterest Expense, Excluding Loan, Lease and Other Losses									(3,364)		(3,130)		(3,100)
Non-interest expense									(3,364)	[7]	(3,130)	[8]	(3,100)	[8]
Segment core earnings before income taxes									8,452		7,620		8,493
Income tax expense									(2,947)		(2,668)		(2,973)
Segment core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attibution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends									5,505		4,952		5,520
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0		0		0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0		0		0
Loss on retirement of preferred stock									0
Segment core earnings									5,505		4,952		5,520
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Assets	1,019,279				995,082				1,019,279		995,082		1,076,298
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	1,530,990				985,609				1,530,990		985,609		1,052,251
Institutional Credit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Interest Income									76,487	[1]	77,512	[2]	89,199	[2]
Interest Income Reclassification									0		0		0
Total interest expense									(33,032)	[3]	(38,456)	[4]	(53,613)	[4]
Net effective spread									43,455		39,056		35,586
Guarantee and commitment fees									1,665		1,539		1,515
Other Non-Interest Income (Expense), Excluding Guarantee and Commitment Fees									0	[5]	0	[6]	0	[6]
Non-interest income									1,665		1,539		1,515
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses									0		0		0
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									0		0		0
Noninterest Expense, Excluding Loan, Lease and Other Losses									(2,109)		(1,891)		(1,774)
Non-interest expense									(2,109)	[7]	(1,891)	[8]	(1,774)	[8]
Segment core earnings before income taxes									43,011		38,704		35,327
Income tax expense									(15,054)		(13,548)		(12,364)
Segment core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attibution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends									27,957		25,156		22,963
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0		0		0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0		0		0
Loss on retirement of preferred stock									0
Segment core earnings									27,957		25,156		22,963
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Assets	5,420,195				5,459,296				5,420,195		5,459,296		5,121,666
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	6,724,254				6,396,941				6,724,254		6,396,941		6,047,864
Corporate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Interest Income									13,338	[1]	17,637	[2]	21,940	[2]
Interest Income Reclassification									0		0		0
Total interest expense									(5,450)	[3]	(3,830)	[4]	(4,668)	[4]
Net effective spread									7,888		13,807		17,272
Guarantee and commitment fees									0		0		0
Other Non-Interest Income (Expense), Excluding Guarantee and Commitment Fees									(1,972)	[5]	(4,913)	[6]	1,622	[6]
Non-interest income									(1,972)		(4,913)		1,622
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses									0		0		0
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									0		0		0
Noninterest Expense, Excluding Loan, Lease and Other Losses									(11,864)		(10,541)		(9,751)
Non-interest expense									(11,864)	[7]	(10,541)	[8]	(9,751)	[8]
Segment core earnings before income taxes									(5,948)		(1,647)		9,143
Income tax expense									3,803		23,347		8,991
Segment core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attibution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends									(2,145)		21,700		18,134
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									(13,182)		(9,839)		(3,495)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest									(5,139)		(22,192)		(22,187)
Loss on retirement of preferred stock									0
Segment core earnings									(20,466)		(10,331)		(7,548)
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Assets	4,081,885				3,396,832				4,081,885		3,396,832		3,316,904
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Interest Income									(2,301)	[1]	(15,850)	[2]	(20,417)	[2]
Interest Income Reclassification									3,078		2,086		964
Total interest expense									5,650	[3]	(29,582)	[4]	12,324	[4]
Net effective spread									6,427		(43,346)		(7,129)
Guarantee and commitment fees									(3,078)		(2,086)		(964)
Other Non-Interest Income (Expense), Excluding Guarantee and Commitment Fees									6,871	[5]	22,675	[6]	34,156	[6]
Non-interest income									3,793		20,589		33,192
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses									0		0		0
(Release of)/provision for reserve for losses									0		0		0
Noninterest Expense, Excluding Loan, Lease and Other Losses									0		0		0
Non-interest expense									0	[7]	0	[8]	0	[8]
Segment core earnings before income taxes									10,220	[9]	(22,757)	[10]	26,063	[10]
Income tax expense									(1,677)		7,961		(9,122)
Segment core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attibution of income to non-controlling interest - preferred stock dividends									8,543	[9]	(14,796)	[10]	16,941	[10]
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									0		0		0
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0		0		0
Loss on retirement of preferred stock									(8,147)
Segment core earnings									396	[9]	(14,796)	[10]	16,941	[10]
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Assets	0				0				0		0		0
On and Off Balance Sheet Program Assets, At Principal Balance	$ 0				$ 0				$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
[1]	Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts.
[2]	Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts and interest income related to securities purchased under agreements to resell.
[3]	Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in "Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities" on the consolidated financial statements.
[4]	Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in "Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities" on the consolidated financial statements. Includes reconciling adjustments for interest expense related to securities sold, not yet purchased.
[5]	Includes reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets. Also includes a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities.
[6]	Includes interest income and interest expense related to securities purchased under agreements to resell and securities sold, not yet purchased, respectively; reconciling adjustments for the reclassification of expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges and fair value adjustments on financial derivatives and trading assets; and a reconciling adjustment related to the recognition of deferred gains over the estimated lives of certain Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities and USDA Securities.
[7]	Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount
[8]	Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount.
[9]	Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively
[10]	Net adjustments to reconcile core earnings before income taxes; core earnings before preferred stock dividends and attribution of income to non-controlling interest; and segment core earnings to corresponding income measures: income before income taxes, net income, and net income attributable to common stockholders, respectively.

Quarterly Financial Informat106

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) - Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Interest Income	$ 67,562	$ 66,918	$ 66,392	$ 63,951	$ 60,730	$ 63,410	$ 64,475	$ 52,452	$ 264,823	[1]	$ 241,067	[2]	$ 246,729	[2]
Total interest expense	36,591	34,735	34,528	33,162	44,606	48,886	42,502	34,726	139,016	[3]	170,720	[4]	137,276	[4]
Net interest income	30,971	32,183	31,864	30,789	16,124	14,524	21,973	17,726	125,807		70,347		109,453
(Provision for)/release of allowance for loan losses	(3,366)	1,164	(110)	(76)	462	(511)	1,583	(573)	(2,388)		961		481
Interest Income (Expense), after Provision for Loan Loss	27,605	33,347	31,754	30,713	16,586	14,013	23,556	17,153	123,419		71,308		109,934
Guarantee and commitment fees	3,780	3,532	3,388	3,377	3,563	3,644	3,703	3,784	14,077		14,694		15,627
Gain (loss) on derivatives instruments and hedging activity net pretax	1,592	(9,568)	14,389	(3,882)	(9,178)	808	(5,698)	(7,578)
Gains/(losses) on trading securities	696	(8)	170	362	13,857	16,369	7,748	655	1,220		38,629		(819)
Gains/(losses) on sale of available-for-sale investment securities	0	3	0	6	0	(396)	143	15	9		(238)		2,113
(Losses)/gains on sale of real estate owned	0	0	0	(1)	(28)	0	168	(3)	(1)		137		1,236
Other income	372	1,060	260	613	920	502	200	92	2,305		1,714		3,057
Non-interest income	6,440	(4,981)	18,207	475	9,134	20,927	6,264	(3,035)	20,141		33,290		54,440
Noninterest Expense	5,865	10,421	10,853	8,343	8,594	7,095	7,856	7,947	35,482	[5]	31,492	[6]	33,107	[6]
Income before income taxes	28,180	17,945	39,108	22,845	17,126	27,845	21,964	6,171	108,078		73,106		131,267
Income tax expense	9,912	6,327	13,769	4,231	2,769	7,564	(6,368)	(1,141)	34,239		2,824		33,752
Net income	18,268	11,618	25,339	18,614	14,357	20,281	28,332	7,312	73,839		70,282		97,515
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	60	36	119	(5,354)	(5,414)	(5,412)	(5,819)	(5,547)	(5,139)		(22,192)		(22,187)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	18,328	11,654	25,458	13,260	8,943	14,869	22,513	1,765	68,700		48,090		75,328
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	(3,296)	(3,295)	(3,296)	(3,295)	(3,296)	(3,283)	(2,308)	(952)	(13,182)		(9,839)		(3,495)
Loss on retirement of preferred stock	0	0	0	(8,147)					(8,147)		0		0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ 15,032	$ 8,359	$ 22,162	$ 1,818	$ 5,647	$ 11,586	$ 20,205	$ 813	$ 47,371		$ 38,251		$ 71,833
Basic earnings per common share	$ 1.39	$ 0.76	$ 2.01	$ 0.17	$ 0.52	$ 1.06	$ 1.85	$ 0.07	$ 4.33		$ 3.50		$ 6.64
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 1.35	$ 0.74	$ 1.94	$ 0.16	$ 0.50	$ 1.02	$ 1.78	$ 0.07	$ 4.19000		$ 3.37000		$ 6.41000
[1]	Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts.
[2]	Includes reconciling adjustments for the amortization of premiums and discounts on assets consolidated at fair value to reflect core earnings amounts and interest income related to securities purchased under agreements to resell.
[3]	Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in "Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities" on the consolidated financial statements.
[4]	Based on effective funding cost determined for each operating segment, including expenses related to interest rate swaps not designated as hedges, which are included in "Gains/(losses) on financial derivatives and hedging activities" on the consolidated financial statements. Includes reconciling adjustments for interest expense related to securities sold, not yet purchased.
[5]	Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount
[6]	Includes directly attributable costs and an allocation of indirectly attributable costs based on headcount.