UACCB Secures 207-Acre Lease for New Farm and Ranch Management Program, Thanks to Generous Families

The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB) is excited to announce a transformative lease agreement for 207 acres of land that will support the launch of its innovative Farm and Ranch Management (FARM) program. This milestone is made possible through the extraordinary generosity of the Barnett, Grace, Hathcock, and Ketz families, who have agreed to lease the property to UACCB at no cost. This will enable UACCB to expand its offerings in agricultural education while honoring the land's rich history.

"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. I look forward to watching future generations of farmers and ranchers work and learn on this part of the FARM at UACCB," said Dr. Brian Shonk, Chancellor of UACCB.

As part of the agreement, UACCB will be responsible for maintaining the property including the historic farmhouse originally erected around 1840 and relocated to the property in 1943. This stewardship reflects the college's respect for the site's heritage and its role in sustaining the region's agricultural legacy.

The leased land will serve as the hub for the livestock management component of the FARM program, providing hands-on learning opportunities for students. Complementing this, UACCB is currently remodeling the front portion of the building located at 2210 E. Main Street. UACCB received a $5 million HIRED grant from the Department of Commerce and Workforce Connections in November of 2024 for the FARM program, focusing on precision agriculture. A large portion of the grant was dedicated to rehabilitating the over 100,000 sq. ft. building, now known as the Gateway Center. The renovated space will house offices, classrooms, and lab facilities for the FARM program and other initiatives; with a focus on the crop management portion of the curriculum on that site's 55 acres.

Construction at the Gateway Center is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. Community education FARM classes will begin in the spring of 2026, followed by the undergraduate, associate degree program starting in August 2026.

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