Polk County ordered an organic soil farm to stop receiving waste after residents complained of noxious odors coming from the facility.

Bruce Hardwick is one of the many people living east of Lakeland who complained to county commissioners about odors coming from BS Ranch and Farm.

"It smelled like raw poop. Like if somebody had opened up a septic tank and just, your back door is right there," Bruce Hardwick explained.
 
Hardwick lives about a mile from the farm.

BS Ranch and Farm has disputed in the past the off-site odor is coming from its facility.  However, investigators from the Department of Environmental Protection confirmed on five separate occasions it was.

The family owned businesses' President Brandy Stanton said she and her husband are passionate about the way waste is handled, and creating a cleaner environment.
 
"We're not wanting to be anybody's enemy,” said Stanton.
 
She said she was hurt and surprised by the county's cease and desist order and said the company is committed to addressing the issue.

"We have engineers we're working with. We have air people that we are going to work with. Odor control. Absolutely, like I said we're committed.  We are 100 percent committed to doing whatever we have to do,” said Brandy Stanton.  
 
In its cease and desist order, the county banned the organic soil farm from receiving waste such as food scraps, animal manure, and biosolids, until the odor issue is addressed. It is still permitting the company to keep and manage materials that were already on-site before the order was issued.
 
Hardwick said he’s pleased with the county’s actions.
 
“I couldn’t be happier,” said Hardwick. He said the odor was preventing him from opening his windows, and his kids from playing outside.

The company told the Department of Environmental Protection it was addressing the complaints by creating an odor control officer and establishing an odor complaint form, which is on the company’s website.

The soil manufacturing facility has been at its current location, near Maine and Longhorn Avenue, since 2010. It converts the waste it receives to soil. Lately, Stanton said the company was taking in anywhere from 100 to 200 tons of biosoils. Orlando was one of its clients.

"A lot of people, a lot of businesses, hundreds that we deal with. That is the other side of this, which is hopefully being considered. It will affect many people, and many, many local businesses,” said Stanton.
 
She said they have about 20 employees.
 
Hardwick said he's lived in the area for 38 years and hadn't smelled the odor until December. He said he never had a problem with the company before then.

"I hope they can do great things for the environment. If they can contain the odor, that's great. Do your business.  Your business is more than welcome back there. But when it starts affecting my community, I'm going to stand up of course,” Hardwick said.
 
BS Ranch and Farm has a hearing with a special magistrate on April 20 at the Polk County Administration Building, at 8:30 a.m., to address the cited code violations.
 
The soil manufacturing farm is also meeting with DEP on Wednesday to provide potential solutions to the off-site odor issue.