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
interest
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
interest
(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