FARMERS face being hit with a five-fold increase in the price of a licence to dispose of waste water after sheep dipping.

But if the proposal to raise the licence fee to more than £2,000 goes ahead, it would be a retrograde step, says the National Sheep Association.

The biggest threat would be to the animal welfare standards the UK prided itself on. The use of organophosphate dips was essential to killing certain sheep parasites, particularly scab mites.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said it was appropriate that a certificate of competence was required to use the dips and an Environment Agency disposal licence to handle the waste water afterwards, such was the potential impact on human health and the environment.

But the organisation was opposed to the disproportionately large increase the Environment Agency was considering introducing after April this year. The matter is currently out for consultation.

“Sheep scab is a debilitating and painful disease in sheep that requires swift and effective treatment,” said Mr Stocker.

“The life cycle of the scab mite makes diagnosis and control difficult and disease incidence is unfortunately increasing across the UK.

“NSA and industry partners are highlighting best practice messages to farmers, but the success of this depends on practical and affordable treatment options.

“Making sheep dipping prohibitively expensive would massively affect the sheep sector, particularly now when we have serious problems and risks being experienced with any alternative treatments for sheep scab.”

The only alternative treatment – macrocyclic lactone injections that killed the external scab mite, as well as internal sheep worms – was difficult to administer at the appropriate time in the life cycle of either type of parasite.

Treating at the wrong time caused resistance to the injection, rendering it useless over time.

Resistance of internal parasites had risen in line with increased use of injectables to treat sheep scab, and multiple cases of resistance in scab mites had recently been recorded for the first time.

Mr Stocker said: “Resistance to the one treatment option and economic barriers to the other would allow sheep scab to increase, causing welfare problems in sheep and affecting the ability of farmers to run viable businesses.

“UK sheep farmers pride themselves on high animal welfare standards, and such standards are being lauded by ministers involved in post-Brexit trade negotiations.”

The proposed fees would ultimately result in welfare problems and a heightened risk of further disease spread, in contradiction with clear political objectives.

The NSA has shared its views with the Environment Agency and will continue to argue for a rethink.