Young and Older Farmers’ Perception and Assessment of Government Agricultural Agencies in Poland

This article attempts to determine significance of differences among young and older farmers’ judgments on selected performance aspects of two EU paying agencies in Poland, namely Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARMA) and Agricultural Market Agency (AMA). The survey across Poland was conducted in late 2006 on a total of 194 respondents. The Likert-scale questionnaires were used to obtain data responses regarding the performance of the agencies. The sampling unit was the individual farm, the respondent being the person in charge of managing the farm and being customer of both agencies. The following hypotheses were set up for the study: 1. The young and older farmers’ perceptions of the government agencies impact on economic situation of agricultural holding are not significantly different; 2. The perceptions of young and older farmers of the government agencies’ role performance are not significantly different. These hypotheses have been empirically tested using the Z-test. Hypothesis no 2 was rejected for two agencies whereas Hypothesis no 1 was rejected for one agency (AMA). Study reveals that both young and older respondents are more familiar with ARMA (responsible, among others, for the direct payments to farmers) than with AMA (responsible for market measures). The overall results of the present study suggest that on average Polish young farmers are more knowledgeable about Government agencies and more critical of the agencies performance than older farmers. Consequently, policy makers, Government and its agencies should more carefully look into some problems facing young people in Polish farming.