UACCB secures 207-acre lease to support new FARM program

Above: Map of all three properties referenced in the article. The yellow-lined perimeter is the existing UACCB campus. The blue-lined perimeter is the site of the Gateway Center, currently under construction. The green-lined perimeter is the 207 acres leased at no cost from four local families.

The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville has secured a 207-acre lease to support the launch of its Farm and Ranch Management (FARM) program, made possible through donations from four local families.

According to a release from the college, the Barnett, Grace, Hathcock, and Ketz families have agreed to lease the property to UACCB at no cost, allowing the institution to expand its offerings in agricultural education. The agreement enables UACCB to preserve the land’s agricultural heritage while developing new educational opportunities, the release said.

“We are so grateful to the Barnett, Grace, Hathcock, and Ketz families, and we are honored that they chose us to preserve the heritage of their families related to this property,” said UACCB Chancellor Dr. Brian Shonk. “I look forward to watching future generations of farmers and ranchers work and learn on this part of the FARM at UACCB.”

Under the lease agreement, UACCB will maintain the property, including a historic farmhouse originally built around 1840 and relocated to the site in 1943. The stewardship arrangement reflects the college’s commitment to preserving the site’s heritage and the region’s agricultural legacy, UACCB said in the release.

The leased land will serve as the hub for the livestock management component of the FARM program, providing hands-on learning for students. Additionally, UACCB is remodeling the front portion of a building at 2210 E. Main St. to house more program facilities.

In November 2024, the college received a $5 million HIRED grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce and Workforce Connections to support the FARM program, with a focus on precision agriculture. A significant portion of the grant is funding rehabilitation of the more than 100,000-square-foot building, now designated as the Gateway Center.

The Gateway Center will house offices, classrooms, and lab facilities for the FARM program and other initiatives, with the crop management portion of the curriculum based on the site’s 55 acres. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.

Community education FARM classes are scheduled to begin in spring 2026, with an undergraduate associate degree program launching in August 2026.

For more information about the FARM program, please email farm@uaccb.edu.