My charge in this paper is to describe some of the aggregate effects of changes in the agricultural sector during the 1980-83 period. Our overall title refers to the 1980-83 recession, but one might question what constitutes a recession for a sector of the economy. The agricultural sector is not a homogeneous sector. Some segments had some good years, and gross receipts of the sector were both up and down over the period. Total cash receipts in current dollars increased from 1979 until 1982 but dropped off in 1983. In constant dollars, however, total cash receipts did decrease each year from 1979 through 1983. (Note tables and figures attached.)