EN
Establishment of new circumstances of the development of the country including the development of Polish agriculture is accelerated by negotiations on Polish membership in European Union (European Communities) that have already started. Currently the agricultural and food economy implements basic adjustment and transformation processes of a general character (transition from centrally planned economy to the market one and from national economy and agriculture to economy and agriculture integrated with other countries) as well as the processes characteristic for food economy and agriculture (evolution from the peasant to farmer, from farmer to rancher, from rancher to agro-businessman). These processes mean the anxiety to integration with European Union and using the world experience in this field. Factors influencing development strategy and the prospects of Polish agriculture as well as possible consequences of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are presented, including advantages and disadvantages related to joining European Union. Integration processes with EU affect the role and development of science and research in agriculture, forestry and veterinary, and they will define in particular new purposes and tasks of these sciences, their directions and developmental possibilities.