This paper will address the question of the distribution norms that are explicity or implicitly implemented in the public intervention instrument and whereby, de facto, potential "winner" actors and particular types of spatial attributes in supporting the provision of rural amenities are selected. Those noms will be discussed in respedt of equity principles. Then, we analyse, both from an economic and sociological point of view, the selection processes of farmers related to a specific agri-environmental contact form called the "Contrats Territoriaux d'Exploitation", for the Southwest region of France.