Since 1992, successive CAP reforms have led to the decoupling from production of mainstream support payments to farmers (Pillar 1). Instead of paying farmers for a quantity of production, payments are attached to the land that farmers use. To determine if a piece of land is eligible for CAP payments, the EU has introduced rules and guidelines, intended to ensure that the land in question is under active farming management and/or maintained at least to a minimum agricultural and environmental standard.