But in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, most of the money goes to a connected and powerful few. Governments there, often led by populists, have wide latitude in the secretive process of distributing the subsidies.

A New York Times investigation in nine countries found that the system is warped by corruption and self-dealing.

Case studies: In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban uses the subsidies as a patronage system, auctioning off thousands of acres of state land to friends and family, allowing them to qualify for subsidies. (Read the article in Hungarian.)

In the Czech Republic, companies owned by Prime Minister Andrej Babis collected $42 million in agricultural subsidies last year.

What’s next? The farm bill is up for renewal this year, but Brussels is unlikely to tighten controls because the subsidies are crucial to holding the bloc together. In fact, European lawmakers are moving to give the leaders of E.U. members even more control.