Greening measures were introduced in 2013 as part of the Common Agricultural Policy reform. Since 2015, direct payments to farms subject to greening requirements have been linked to the compliance with specific criteria for improving the environmental status of agricultural landscapes. While the ecological and economic effects of greening have been investigated frequently, little is known about the perspectives of the actors concerned. On the basis of guided interviews, we analyse how farmers in southern Lower Saxony implement the measures on their farms, the factors influencing their decisions and the way they perceive the effects of greening. Our results show that farmers are basically positive about the introduction of the greening concept, however, their acceptance is diminished by the complex design of individual measures - in particular regarding ecological focus areas. With regard to the implementation decision, economic considerations prevail. Legal requirements are perceived as complex and counteract the objectives set by the European Commission to strengthen cumulative environmental benefits.