The aim of the paper was to define changes which occurred in the non-agricultural business activity of farms between the agricultural censuses of 1996 and 2002. As provided for in the working hypothesis, it was found that changes in the non-agricultural business activity were more intensive on small farms rather than the medium-size and large ones. Taking up the non-agricultural business activity was mainly driven by the need to satisfy the every-day living and material needs of the family, and much less considerably by the intention to become professionally active beyond the agricultural farm.

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