CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For years, neighbors living near the STX Beef processing plant in Annaville have complained about foul odors drifting into their neighborhoods.
In 2024, KRIS 6 reported on state enforcement action against the company after Texas regulators cited repeated odor violations and issued more than $200,000 in penalties.
Now, residents say the problem continues.
David Olney has lived about a mile from the STX Beef facility for over 30 years. He says odors have come and gone over the years, but one recent morning stood out.
“It was so bad it was burning your eyes and you couldn’t hardly even… in fact, you couldn’t breathe out here. Me and my wife tried to talk to each other and couldn’t do it,” Olney said.
For years, neighbors living near the beef processing plant have complained about foul odors drifting into their neighborhoods.
KRIS 6 contacted the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to ask whether regulators were receiving similar complaints.
According to TCEQ, the agency has received 35 odor complaints involving STX Beef during the past six months.
The agency also provided KRIS 6 with records showing it opened a new compliance investigation into the facility in January 2026. The report states that the purpose of the investigations was to determine if the duct work and air pollution control technology were being operated properly. Investigators are reviewing odor-control records required under the company’s enforcement agreement.
Some findings in the investigation report include:
- STX Beef was not operating as represented in the permit.
- Heat exchanger was leaking, and water was observed to be splashing around from the temporary connector.
- Duct work over the blood dryers was out of service.
- A total of 94 air-related complaints have been made regarding STX Beef in the past two years.
- STX Beef was found to be generally compliant with the rules and regulations applicable to the site.
STX Beef has been subject to nine air-related Notices of Violation (NOVs) and nine air-related Notices of Enforcement (NOEs) within the past five years, according to the TCEQ report.
KRIS 6 also reached out to STX Beef for comment.
An emailed statement reads:
"STX is a proud member of the community, and we take our responsibilities seriously. STX continues to revitalize the decades-old facility, including millions of dollars to retrofit the plant to mitigate odor. Despite the economic headwinds on the meat packing industry, STX is maintaining workforce and continuing retrofitting of the facility. STX is committed to working with all state and local agencies to ensure compliance."
Residents who experience recurring odors or believe pollution is affecting their neighborhood can file a complaint directly with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
