Previous research indicates that policy perceptions are important in explaining individual preferences for government expenditures. In this article we study agricultural policy preferences using national survey data containing several policy perception measurements. A model linking preferences to perceptions through an underlying unobservable variable is estimated and assessed using the bootstrap. The perception that farmers receive too much government assistance is dominant, affecting preferences negatively. Perceptions concerning the importance of agriculture to the economy, financial stress and profitability, and farming as an occupation are also important. Some selective preference for family farm support is indicated with implications for efforts to promote such support.