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Editor, The Beacon:

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your recent story about our DeLand plant, and residents’ comments about unpleasant odors.

We did have an incident at Country Pure Foods’ Ardmore Farms in DeLand back in October in which there was an equipment failure with the treatment plant. Your article is correct in that the plant pre-treats its juice wastewater (effluent) prior to discharging to the City of DeLand’s wastewater treatment plant. Under our permit, we are required to pre-treat our effluent prior to discharging to the City.

In order to make necessary repairs this past October, Country Pure Foods worked with the City of DeLand, which they accommodated at CPF’s additional expense, to discharge the pre-treated effluent to the City and drain the tank to make the necessary repairs. During the repair, there were strong odors that were released.

We apologize to the neighbors regarding any inconvenience that was caused. The juice plant has been in existence in the area for almost 50 years, and the treatment plant has processed our juice effluent for the past 41 years, and occasionally, we experience a repair that needs to be addressed immediately. At no time was there any improper discharge of untreated effluent, and the plant was in compliance with all environmental regulations at all times during the repair and at all times before and after the repair in October.

Ardmore Farms is a major employer in the area and makes all efforts to address and to be cognizant of our neighbors’ concerns. We have managed to co-exist with our neighbors by addressing their concerns whenever possible, and we continue to be vigilant in complying with all environmental ordinances and laws.

Randy Peck

— Peck is plant manager at the Country Pure Foods (Ardmore Farms) plant on the north side of DeLand.