National Association of Agricultural Contractors
Grange Farm
Wittering Grange
Old Oundle Road
Wansford
Peterborough
PE8 6NR
Tel: 01780 784631
Email us: members@naac.co.uk
Livestock contractors are vital to securing high standards of animal welfare, in specialised but essential services such as shearing, scanning or dipping.
The NAAC continues to work with the Home Office to annually renegotiate the entry of overseas shearers into the UK, having successfully lobbied for a special concession for shearers for 15 years. However 2026 is a little different as the shearer needs to apply for a special shearers visa. This still allows that non-visa national shearers can enter the UK with a contract of employment, from 1 April-end of June and shearers are allowed to stay a maximum of three months. The NAAC assists its members in application and providing a contract of employment for shearers. Members can access a template in the Members Area. FOR FULL DETAILS OF HOW TO APPLY FOR A SHEARING VISA IN 2026 please see guidance: Applying for Sheep Shearing Concession 2026.
The NAAC has worked with other industry organisations to put guidance in place on sheep shearing reminding farmers and professional shearing contractors to work together, ensuring sheep are handled appropriately to reduce stress and injury and the risk of disease transmission during the shearing process. The guide explains and emphasises everyone’s responsibilities, encouraging that every step from the presentation of sheep on farm, through to livestock handling and the shearing process is well-planned, organised and calmly implemented. This is vital in maintaining high standards of animal welfare and minimising the risk of disease spread.
Updates to the Code of Practice (Welsh version of Code of Practice) have been agreed upon by a number of organisations including SCOPS and the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC), in conjunction with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), to ensure best advice on effective treatment of sheep scab with organophosphate (OP) sheep dip, minimising risks to users and the environment.
The main changes to the code are around how organophosphate (OP) can be supplied to mobile contractors for use on clients’ farms, and the role of farmers, contractors and prescribers to ensure this is done properly and legally.
Jill Hewit, NAAC Chief Executive, comments: “Our mobile sheep dipping members offer a professional service to their farmer clients and we’re delighted members will be able to work more effectively under the updated to the Code of Practice. The code now offers a more productive framework for contractors and ensures farmers customers and the prescribers selling the dip also know their roles and responsibilities.”
The importance of farmers being able to access top-quality mobile dipping services has been highlighted by initiatives such as the For Flock’s Sake sheep scab project, to give farmers without on-farm dipping facilities the option to treat sheep with an OP dip rather than relying solely on injectable treatments.
The NAAC has a list of professional sheep dip contractors which can be found in Find a Contractor.
These guides are available to members in the Members Area:
National Association of Agricultural Contractors
Grange Farm
Wittering Grange
Old Oundle Road
Wansford
Peterborough
PE8 6NR
Tel: 01780 784631
Email us: members@naac.co.uk