The Food Bank of North Central Arkansas has cleared a key hurdle in its plan to construct a greenhouse at its Highland Circle headquarters. On September 17, the Mountain Home City Council unanimously voted to rezone the property at the corner of Highland Parkway and Highland Circle, enabling the Food Bank to pursue agricultural production, including crop farming and greenhouse operations.
The council’s decision shifts the property from Commercial C-2 to Commercial C-2A zoning and includes a variance for agricultural use. Council members suspended the rules to read the ordinance three times in one session and invoked an emergency clause, allowing the rezoning to take effect immediately. Council member Susan Stockton was absent from the vote.
The request, presented by Food Bank CEO Jeff Quick, originated with the Mountain Home Planning Commission, where it received a 5-0 vote of approval on September 14. Meeting minutes indicate that the move was necessary because the previous C-2 zoning classification is no longer utilized by the city.
The greenhouse is part of the Food Bank’s hunger gardens program, designed to increase local access to fresh produce. In late 2024, the organization received a $40,000 grant from the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas to expand the program in Baxter County. The grant is earmarked for compost stations, raised beds, rain harvesting systems, and completing the planned greenhouse. At the time of the grant announcement, Quick expressed enthusiasm for the project’s potential impact, and the Rev. Mackey Yokem highlighted the state’s urgent need, noting that Arkansas ranks highest in the nation for food insecurity. Within the Food Bank’s nine-county service area, Searcy County has the highest food insecurity rate.
Fresh produce plays an increasingly significant role in the Food Bank’s distribution strategy. In 2022, the organization offered $50 vouchers through the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, enabling qualifying seniors to purchase locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey. The Food Bank also distributes roughly 4.5 million pounds of food annually through various programs, including food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and services like backpack and summer meal programs. Each month, approximately 20,000 Arkansans benefit from the Food Bank’s efforts.
The Food Bank of North Central Arkansas has been a vital resource since its founding in 1982. It operates from its facility at 1042 Highland Circle in Mountain Home. For more information, visit foodbanknca.org or call 870-499-7565.