Agriculture in Poland is characterized by two opposed tendencies. One of them results from the necessity of being competitive in the new economic situation, especially shortly before our accession to the European Union. High economic efficiency in food production is connected with disadvantageous ecological consequences. Threats to the natural environment in rural areas, caused by specialization, concentration, mechanization and chemization have an influence upon pollution of the Baltic Sea by rivers supplying coastal sea water and also because of infiltration of subterranean waters into the sea. The other tendency characterizing Polish agriculture is ecology. Appropriate location of agricultural production, right proportions between the agricultural function and protective function, the application of environmental protection requirements to agriculture are expected to improve the quality of particular environmental components, including the waters of the Baltic Sea.

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