Environment Agency U-turn on sheep dip disposal fees

Charges for acquiring a permit to spread sheep dip on farmland will not be increasing, the Environment Agency has confirmed, despite having previously sought to bump the rates up by 50%.

The proposed fee increase was initially set out in an Environment Agency (EA) consultation earlier this year, as part of an effort to recover all its costs in relation to water quality permitting.

See also: Welsh farmers face massive hike in sheep dip disposal fees

This would have seen the fee for applying for a sheep dip spreading permit increase from £2,708 to £4,065, with similar increases for minor, normal and substantial variations.

But in its recent response to the consultation, the EA says it has listened to farmer concerns and decided to “hold application charges for sheep dip disposal to land at the current rate”.

It said: “Our decision to hold application charges for disposal of sheep dip to land will give us, Defra, the sheep sector, and other stakeholders the opportunity to develop a longer-term management strategy.” 

However, small changes to the annual “subsistence” charge for sheep dip permit holders came into affect on 1 June 2024:

• A drop of 2% to £267 for disposal of less than 5m cu of sheep dip
• A rise of 2% to £938 for disposal of more than 5m cu3 of sheep dip.

The NFU has welcomed the decision, having argued strongly that such increases in application charges would be cost prohibitive for many, and could have profound animal health and welfare implications if farmers chose to stop using sheep dips.

NFU Livestock Board chairman David Barton said: “For many sheep farmers, the annual fee and application fees are already far too high and any increase – let alone one of 50% or more for a spreading permit – would have been completely unaffordable.”

He urged farmers using on-farm facilities to dispose of/spread dip to obtain the appropriate permit now, before any future price increases.

“Fines may be significant if regulatory action needs to be taken, while non-compliance can damage the reputation of the livestock sector,” Mr Barton warned.

While the fee for a sheep dip disposal permit are unchanged at £2,708, charges for permits to dispose of pesticides, biocides and disinfectants are going up to the proposed level of £4,063 an application.

The EA has also confirmed a new charge of £2,035 when a habitats assessment is needed.

Last year, farmers in Wales faced a massive hike in their sheep dip disposal application fees to £3,700.