This work compares the incomes of the rural families of the Southern Region of Brazil in the years of 1995 and 2001, using the special micro data tabulation of the National Sample Home Research (PNADs). The results show that the agricultural income is steady: the non - agricultural income has grown in some kinds of families; the pensions/retirement incomes have increased among the families in the universe of home agriculture; and the "other incomes" are irrelevant. It is inferred that low economical dynamism of the rural cities and the agricultural crisis led to agricultural income stagnation and also to an impoverishment process of the families. Thus, there is a need of redefining the public policies for the rural families concerning the diversity of incomes, as well as new sustainable mechanisms for the families in higher levels than the current ones.