there are groups with a specific advocacy focus such as the international coalition to protect the polish countryside icppc which works to protect small traditional farms in poland and the rural development foundation which focuses on nonagricultural initiatives in villages such as improving it infrastructure there is also a large network of formers associations cooperatives and societies that represent their members interests the national union of farmers agricultural circles and farm organisations is among the largest of these groups with around million members poland has a long history of agricultural production cooperatives which help farmers pool their resources and collectively negotiate prices functions which are particularly useful for smaller scale agricultural producers there were approximately farmers cooperatives operating in howrever this number is declining and it bears noting that the market share of such cooperatives in poland is lower than that of many eu countries matyja