Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has announced it will stop issuing new permits that allow farmers to dispose of waste sheep dip to land.
Instead, farming businesses will need to have the waste dip removed by a registered waste carrier and disposed of in a suitable waste facility.
The environmental regulator announced today (29 January) that it would implement the changes in order to 'safeguard' Wales' rivers.
NFU Cymru has called on NRW to reverse its decision, calling the move 'shocking' as it was taken 'without consideration of the wider impacts'.
While NRW acknowledged sheep dipping was important for the nation's livestock farmers, it said it had measured increased chemical levels in rivers.
Disposing of sheep dip to land in Wales has been allowed for more than 30 years.
But Nadia De Longhi, NRW's head of regulation said: “We’re constantly working to balance the needs of farms with our duties to safeguard the environment and this often means gradual change to the way things work.
“We’ve noticed a negative effect accumulating in our rivers that is causing us to fail to meet the standards required to protect the water environment.
“This is why we’ve decided to phase out the practice as there are now better alternatives available."
NRW said farms with active permits would be able to continue to dispose to land for the time being.
However, all waste dip would soon need to be disposed of in the new way, as it would bring "consistency with how all other liquid wastes are disposed of".
Where a farmer no longer needs to dispose of waste sheep dip to land, NRW said they would be able to surrender their permit for free.
Ms De Longhi said: "To support that change we have removed the charge, which currently stands at £363, to surrender your permit if you no longer need it.”
Responding, NFU Cymru livestock board chairman, Rob Lewis said the union had written to NRW calling for the decision to be reversed.
He said: “The practice of sheep dipping in Wales is integral to maintain the high flock health status of the Welsh flock.
"The decision has implications for animal health and welfare, the ongoing management of key habitats and disadvantages young farmers to the sheep sector."
What happens now?
Farmers that need their sheep to be dipped but currently do not have a permit, can:
• Apply to use the Welsh government-funded Gwaredu Scab programme if they suspect they have a scab infestation.
• Dip the sheep themselves - if they hold the necessary certificates - and arrange for a registered waste carrier to collect the waste dip for off-site disposal
• Employ a mobile sheep dip contractor to dip their sheep for them and take the waste away for disposal
• NRW is encouraging farmers to surrender permits they no longer need, which can now be done for free on the NRW website
