“Such fee as the Welsh Ministers may determine.” That line sits in new Welsh regulations signed on 3 December 2025 and published on legislation.gov.uk. From 1 January 2026, the £100 ceiling on charges for appeals against legacy farm subsidy and rural development decisions in Wales will go.

Formally titled the Agricultural Subsidies and Grants Schemes (Appeals) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, the instrument alters the 2006 appeals rules. It removes the fixed £100 limit where an appeal relates to older schemes and allows ministers to set the amount charged to appellants.

The change applies to appeals tied to the Basic Payment Scheme, the financing, management and monitoring of the Common Agricultural Policy, and support for rural development. In the regulations these are described as “pre‑2023 Act schemes”, a reference to the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023, which sets out the newer subsidy regime.

There is parliamentary sign‑off on record. In line with section 50(6) of the 2023 Act, the draft was laid before, and approved by a resolution of, Senedd Cymru. The regulations were made by Huw Irranca‑Davies, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, on 3 December 2025.

For farmers and allied businesses along the North Wales–North West corridor, the detail matters. Appeals over subsidy decisions can drag on and tie up cashflow; a higher or variable fee could influence when people contest a decision. Auction marts across Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria trade regularly with Welsh producers, so delays and costs on one side of the border can ripple through haulage, feed, and contracting work on the other.

This is a narrow but important tweak. It does not rewrite how appeals work, but it changes what appellants may have to pay when challenging decisions on those legacy schemes. Clarity will now be needed on how the fee is set, whether different rates will apply in different circumstances, and if successful appellants will see fees refunded.

The Welsh Government says a Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared and published, with copies available from Cathays Park in Cardiff and on gov.wales. That assessment should spell out expected costs and benefits and will be essential reading for farm accountants and producer groups advising clients through the winter.

If you are considering an appeal early in 2026, check first which scheme your dispute relates to and ask, in writing, what fee will be charged before you submit. Keep detailed records of mapping, claims and correspondence, and speak to your union or adviser-NFU, FUW, TFA or a trusted consultant-about the strength of the case and any avenues for review before a paid appeal.

Key dates are straightforward: the regulations were made on 3 December 2025 and come into force on 1 January 2026. We will track the fee guidance and any early cases to see how this lands for smaller family farms in North Wales and for the supply chain across the M56 and A55.