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This article examines the participation of family farmers in the Rural Development Forums (Mesas de Desarrollo Rural) established in Uruguay in 2007. Over a period of three years (2015-2017), several of these forums were studied in three departments of Uruguay, based on the application of an analytical framework focusing on the variables of public action. The main conclusions relate to the flexibility and adaptation of the functioning of these forums to the specific conditions of the territories and producers, their opening up to sectoral institutions beyond those of livestock and agriculture, and in several cases difficulties maintaining and renewing the participation dynamic, especially for farmers’ organizations.