This article surveys the political underpinnings of agricultural policy in Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. Fundamentally divergent agricultural policies in each country have been crucially shaped by the strength of agrarian political parties, rural trade unions and links with the agricultural bureaucracy. Technical considerations and structural economic conditions, on the other hand, have been at best secondary influences. In turn, the degree and character of political organization amongst agricultural producers in large part reflect the historical legacies of the particular political transition path followed by each country.