FREEMAN, S.D. – Turner County officials will hold a September 23 Board of Adjustment hearing to decide whether the Dakota Protein Solutions rendering plant in Freeman can continue operating under its conditional-use permit.
The plant has drawn months of complaints from residents who say the odor is unbearable and disruptive to daily life. Some describe the smell as “rotting flesh” that forces them indoors, cancels outdoor events, and carries for miles around town.
County regulators will weigh whether to revoke, amend, or tighten the plant’s permit after citing multiple violations, while residents argue the operation is damaging property values, public health, and Freeman’s future.
Business owner Timothy Weiss told the Freeman Courier the situation has cut nearby home values by 30 percent and could cost the community $100 million in lost tax base over the next decade.
“This has turned into an absolute hell,” Weiss said.
Others echo the frustration. Tiffany Mehlhaff, who moved to Freeman for a quieter life, told the Freeman Courier she never expected to live in the “backyard of a rendering plant.”
County zoning officials cited the plant earlier this year for failing to secure a required haul road agreement, neglecting dust control, and improperly storing carcasses, according to Mitchell Now and The Sun.
Zoning director Mike Harms said the board expects detailed testimony from both company officials and residents.
“We need to see measurable progress,” Harms told the Freeman Courier.
The company acknowledges the odor problems and blames equipment malfunctions, faulty airflow, and water quality issues. Investors promised upgrades including a new water source and storage tanks, Dakota News Now reported.
A former plant manager cited chemistry problems in air scrubbers and poor ventilation as persistent issues, calling the situation “not acceptable” but said fixes would take time, according to the Mitchell Republic.
Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an inspection in December after receiving a complaint about the Freeman facility, KMIT Radio reported. The federal investigation remains active.
For many families, the smell is more than a nuisance. Schools have treated odor episodes like weather events, moving activities indoors, Dakota News Now reported. Some prospective residents abandoned plans to relocate to Freeman, citing the odor and uncertainty over the plant’s future, The Sun reported.
Local leaders say the standoff could define Freeman’s trajectory. If the odor continues, officials fear it will stall development, drive away businesses, and erode community confidence.
The September 23 hearing in Parker will determine what comes next: tougher enforcement, permit revocation, or another chance for the company to correct course. Residents plan to press their case, saying they can no longer wait.