Louise Hubball The Politics Show South West

Dipping just went on, with farmers not realising the dangers

Since the late 80s, large numbers of farmers in the South West have reported suffering ill health.

And many believe their condition is linked to compulsory sheep dipping nearly 20 years ago.

The dip contained the chemical organophosphate, which many feel is responsible for a range of physical and mental symptoms.

Now, campaigners have been further angered by a threat from Defra, to close an extensive research project into the effect of OPs, on the grounds of the groups of farmers being studied.

The rugged moorland and isolated communities of the South West have meant sheep farming has been prolific here for centuries.

Years ago, the wool market boomed, and towns such as Tavistock were founded on wealth.

Today, the market is in decline, but sheep farming remains a prominent part of the agricultural landscape.

Illness strikes

So when sheep farmers began to develop ill health in large numbers in the late 80s, many from the South West were affected.

One of them was Jim Candy from Torpoint.

It cannot be much fun for the sheep either

To supplement his small holding, he owned a mobile sheep dipping business, to capitalise on the compulsory dipping between 1976 and 1992, to prevent the parasitic sheep scab.

When he fell ill in the late 80s, he, like many others believed their nerve related conditions were connected to organophosphate chemicals in the dip.

"I was struck down with severe flu like symptoms," he recalled, "I was sweating profusely and having difficulty breathing.

"The doctor couldn't get to the bottom of it, until gradually he and I came to the conclusion I was suffering from organophosphate poisoning."

And Jim says the so called dippers flu, has left a nasty legacy.

Since 2001 he has farmed cattle and vegetables organically, because of severe multi chemical sensitivity.

Even household items like deodorants make him feel nauseous.

He also suffers from severe lethargy and depression.

The smell of sheep dip is pungent - maybe it's indicative of its properties?

Jim is not alone.

Keith Parsons from Tavistock, was knocked into the dip by a ewe in 1988.

His symptoms are so acute that it has been almost impossible to continue farming, and he has only kept a handful of sheep from his original flock.

"Now I can't go out in the sun at all. I'm all right in the winter, but from May to the end of August, beginning of September, I'm hopeless.

"Twenty minutes will do it and I'm gone.

"I feel as though I'm going to fall on the floor, staggering and terrible headaches and I've got to either sit in a darkened room or else lie in one."

Some talk of a possible connection with Gulf War Syndrome

In 1996, it was revealed that organophosphates were also used during the first Gulf War to protect troops from sand flies and mosquitoes.

As with the farmers, many veterans believe the chemical was at least partly responsible for so called Gulf War Syndrome.

Fresh controversy

Although postal surveys of sheep farmers have been conducted before, extensive psychological research by University College, London, and commissioned by Defra, is now under threat.

It follows concerns voiced by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate last month that there is no control group - that is sheep farmers who were not exposed to the dip at all.

Those affected are angered that the study may now be stopped, with just 18 months left to run.

"To criticise them half way through the study because of the way the study has been drawn up, has been put together, to me, is just absolutely ridiculous," insists Jim Candy.

Lord Tyler, the former North Cornwall MP, has been campaigning on the accountability of successive governments on organophosphates for 15 years.

He believes the threat to the study has less to do with science, and more to do with politics.

"The time has come now, said Lord Tyler, "to stop mucking around, to stop playing silly political games and face the fact that there are many people out there who have suffered really serious ill health through exposure to OPs and ministers must take responsibility. No more foot dragging."

In a statement, Defra said sheep dip must now be "sold in containers, to minimise the risk of contact with the concentrated product".

It says it has spent a "considerable amount of money on research into organophosphates, and none has confirmed a link with farmers' ill health".

Defra are currently considering feedback from a meeting between the Veterinary Products Committee and the research team at University College, London.

The Politics Show contacted the scientists, but they did not wish to comment on their discussions with the government at this stage.

Defra say a decision on the future of the study is pending, although exactly when it will be taken remains unclear.

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