Meat plant leak discharges blood, water into Polk County Mo., creek
Plant Owner says it was vandalism
POLK COUNTY, Mo. (KY3) -A leak at a meat processing plant in Polk County discharged a mixture of blood and water into a nearby creek, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The agency investigated after a landowner reported discolored water. State officials found the discharge came from Best Beef Missouri, a local meat processing plant in Pleasant Hope. The plant’s owner said the leak was the result of vandalism.
Landowner notices discolored water
James Parker noticed an oily sheen on his creek’s water when he left his home.
“Noticed that the water level had risen, the color was red, and at that point you could begin to smell it,” said Parker, who owns the property.
The smell led him to a holding pool just south of his property that was discolored.
“You could smell the blood and the waste from 20-30 miles away,” Parker said.
Parker called the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which began an investigation soon after.
“We followed it upstream to the meat processing plant, followed the tributary, notified the meat processing plant that there is possibly an issue,” said Chris Ray with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Investigators trace leak to missing sewer cap.
The issue was traced to an 8-inch line with a missing sewer cap at a cleanout point at Best Beef Missouri in Pleasant Hope, causing an active discharge.
“While we were there, the on-site manager was able to reduce the flow almost to nothing,” Ray said.
Plant owner Brian Lillie said the missing cap was not an accident and that someone deliberately removed it. Lillie said the cap was gone and workers also found two places where the plant’s fence had been cut.
“We followed the creek as much as we could downstream; there was limited access, determined the maximum extent, and it hadn’t made it to the Pomme de Terre River,” Ray said.
Plant halts operations, installs temporary dam
Lillie said the cap was replaced within hours, and the plant stopped processing until the issue was fixed. A temporary dam was installed downstream of the affected area, and the plant paid for a full cleanup.
“The game and fish called it a total kill, absolutely killed the creek and depleted all the oxygen,” Parker said.
The owners bought the plant in 2025. They said they are operating at lower production numbers than previous management and are working with the Department of Natural Resources to avoid further wastewater issues.
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