historically received the highest subsidies. The payment bias works on a sliding scale with a move away from historic payments towards land based payments with payments in 2012 having no historic element. Implementation of the Single Payment Scheme in Wales was the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government. Payments totaling £250m were paid to more than 98% of eligible farmers between 1 December 2005 and 30 June 2006, including £110m to about 75% of Welsh farmers on the first possible day, which made them amongst the first in Europe to receive the new payment. Scheme details The Single Payment Scheme (SPS) rewards farmers for managing their land to minimum ("Cross Compliance") standards for crop production, animal welfare and the environment. Farmers can submit a claim annually by declaring (1) all of the agricultural parcels (crops) on their farm and (2) their payment entitlements for activation. The farmer's declaration of her payment entitlements for activation is the farmer's request for a 'Single Payment'. The farmer is paid against her declared payment entitlements that are each matched against an eligible hectare of declared land ('activated for payment'). The 'Area Declared' for Single Payment is respective; meaning that it relates to the two factors of (1) declared agricultural parcels and (2) payment entitlements declared for activation. By way of example: A farmer holds 102.00 payment entitlements. The farmer declares all of his agricultural parcels that total exactly 100.00 eligible hectares. If the farmer declares 102.00 of his payment entitlements for activation, the 'Area Declared' for Single Payment would be 100.00 hectares (the lower of the eligible hectares declared and the payment entitlements declared for activation). If the farmer declares 98.00 of his payment entitlements for activation, the 'Area Declared' for Single Payment would be 98.00 hectares (the lower of the eligible hectares declared and the payment entitlements declared for activation). Basic Payment Scheme Political agreement on CAP reform was reached in 2013. In January 2015, the Single Payment Scheme was replaced by the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). See also Single Farm Payment English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) Meat and Livestock Commission References External links Future Agricultural Support for Scotland The future of the Single Farm Payment from a Scottish perspective Essential information for farmers applying for their Single Farm Payment Scheme subsidies from Farmers Weekly interactive (FWi) UK government DEFRA website Government statement on implementation problems RPA information bulletins Welsh Assembly Government