In this work 10 farms from province Silesia and 10 farms from province Małopolska which running intensive production of broiler chickens were analysed. It was stated that farms from Silesia province have greater production area than farms from Małopolska, and for their owners leadership of farm is in most of chances only source of maintenance (in 60% investigated farms in Silesia participation of income from farm determined 100% of income in general, and in Małopolska – in 30% investigated objects). Production resources which had at own disposal producers, like buildings came into being in this oneself period (almost 70% of stables in each analysed regions were built by 1979). Equipment like fodder systems, drinking systems and other were better for Silesia farms. Differences concerns arable lands because only two farms of Silesia province possessed own land while in province Małopolska five farms had arable land. Steps out greater specialization of agricultural production in Silesia region than in of Małopolska, where farms are traditionally multidirectional.

The objective of paper was to analyze farmer’s interest in the measures of EU structural programs designed for the development of agriculture in Poland in 2004–2006, considering its regional differentiation. Significant regional differentiation in the number of application for measures of structural programs in four analyzed regions has been observed. The highest percentage of holding applied for structural programs measures in the regions already better developed. In particular it concerned the innovative and prospective programs which required more commitment from farmers. Moreover the average value of obtained subvention was higher in better developed agricultural regions. The region where the farmer’s interest in structural programs was the lowest was the south-eastern region of Poland, which (among all analyzed regions) is characterized by the worst agricultural potential.

The aim of the paper is to present the analysis of structural pension included in the Program of Rural Development 2007–2013 (PROW). Structural pension in new program attributes worse position than former program (PROW 2004–2006) through higher level of access obtainment and land largeness. The number of application was smaller in the fi rst year of program realization relatively to comparative period. From 8884 application only 6438 (72,5%) got positive decision. The total payment was 35,3 million PLN and average amount on application was 5490 PLN.

Environmental, cultural conditionings, as well as demographic, social and economic potential and development of infrastructure are the basis of regional specialization. The paper presented classification of poviats in the Malopolska considering development of social-economic level. To estimate poviats it was used taxonomic meter of development. Within the limits of ordered set of poviats, there were separated subsets of similar objects.

The paper concentrates on policy instruments of the local development. Self-government should take different actions which aim at encouraging entrepreneurs for cooperation, creating conditions for setting up enterprises and their development, initiating economic undertakings for development harmonization. Self-government authorities could take the actions in the sphere of property, labour and natural resources management. Creation of local entrepreneurship development conditions is connected with legal conditioning, financial competences as well as economic and infrastructural incentives for business entities.

The paper’s aim is to draw attention to the fact that constructing a society in a knowledge-based economy is a multidimensional process which also concerns phenomena of economic culture and civilizational competences, characteristic of individual social groups. The paper focuses on economic culture of contemporary rural youth with reference to two aspects of the culture: economic knowledge and social skills. It analyses them in the context of civilizational competences, assuming that they are crucial in the development of knowledge-based economy. It is grounded on the conviction that economic culture is the determinant factor in the community’s readiness to gain knowledge, put it into practice, be open to innovation etc. The relation between economic culture and the quality of civilizational competences determines whether given communities will participate in and support development on equal terms, or whether they will be marginalized. The analysis is based on fi eld research carried out in January 2009 among 1489 16 years old studying in 13 districts in Poland. The outcome indicates explicitly that economic knowledge and some skills useful in market economy and democratic society have not been internalized and reinforced by rural youth.

The present article is the voice in discussion about strategic planning and need of creation the national agricultural development strategy in Poland. The Main Statistic Office, Eurostat and European Commission in years 2002–2007 as well as scientific and Polish department of agriculture publications were used in the paper as the sources. Polish farms agricultural production efficiency stays away from efficiency characterizing farms in the “old” European Union countries. Strategy, based on agricultural sector complex diagnosis, will allow select proper instruments of interactions on national as well as European Union’s level, leading to targets according to the national-wide socio-economic development strategy. This strategy should, in face of hitherto experience got by countries benefits from common agricultural policy, protect Polish agriculture from copying errors, which have taken a stand although benefits,from the CAP till now.

Information plays an important role in the social and economic life. Therefore exist a need of adapting the structure and delivery channels of information for the recipient and senders of the information. The aim of the article is an assessment the effectiveness of the information fl ow between offi ces of administrative districts and their customers. Carried out examinations are pointing explicitly to very big meaning of the not-formalized way of information transmitting. For streamlining the information fl ow and getting the possibility of creating positive image of the administrative district as well, bigger involvement of the local-government is essential.

Regarding to multidirectional support of rural areas development in aspect of human resource reinforcement the paper is focused on following matters: access to information of obtaining support, reasons of lack of interest in training courses participation as well as motivation. Research was conducted in a group of farmers which land area doesn’t exceed 300 ha. Research result indicates, among others, that needs of farmers who are going to stay in agriculture should also be taken into consideration.

The paper presents an issue and practical expression of the public support realized in Polish financial conditions. It has been, in fact, an unacceptable form of entrepreneurs’ financial support. Since, public financial support makes an entity or a group of entities privileged and favoured on the common market, what disrupts competitiveness conditions. However, the common law allows some economic sectors receive the public support, i.e. the agricultural sector. Nevertheless, there is a rule to be obeyed, according to which the support granted to a beneficiary (by different public finances sector subjects) in the agricultural and fishery sector must not exceed 3 thousand EUR in three years. In Poland, permissible and the most popular public kinds of support in agriculture are tax concessions and exemptions for the agricultural tax.

Polish economy has undergone a signifi cant changes over years thus causing the growth of non-material resources importance. It also concerns rural sector characterizing with low level of farmers education what hampers further development. Biological and technological development as well as changing market conditions demand up-date knowledge and skills from farms’ managers. But the majority of them are not rurally educated or the level of education is very low. Both knowledge extending and taking advantage of advisory services are not popular ways for farmers to improve qualification. Statistic data shows that manger knowledge extending influences farms area growth and marketability. It is essential to undertake activities inclining farmers towards knowledge up-dating and qualifications improving.

The article presents changes of human capital in rural areas of Middle Pomerania in 2003 and 2007. Human capital is one of the most active and complicated regional factors. The research was based on the synthetic indicator. The region was delimited into four different levels of human capital.

Each market economy functions basing primarily on small and medium-sized enterprises activities. This sector is perceived as a strategic one because of creating new jobs, which at current unemployment rate is not without importance, it is also a key factor in the process of economic growth. Proper policy targeted at SME’s should take into account two goals: overall conditions of the development of SME’s and intervention measures in other sectors and fields of policy.