In the paper the problem of the influence of economic decline, in particular recession and crisis in Polish agriculture on the functioning of farms was undertook. The major symptoms of recession in agriculture between 2008 and 2010 were identified and their significance for analysed farms was recognized. On the basis of the research results, it was noted that the main and the most important symptom of recession in agriculture, understanding as worse conditions of production, was decrease of income from agriculture. It was also observed, that big farms and economical stronger were more resistant to negative effects of the economic decline.