The tech industry’s relentless push for data centers in rural areas is colliding head-on with farmers, who see the projects as a threat to their way of life.
Politico said the issue is drawing vocal criticism from conservative candidates for political office and fueling unrest in Republican primaries. Data center supporters are looking at vast parts of the nation’s farmland as excellent sites for the sprawling server-packed facilities they need to support the White House goal of making the U.S. the dominant force in developing artificial intelligence. “Farmers and some of the Republicans vying to represent them say that supporting these projects sends the wrong message when deep-red rural America is being hurt by the president’s tariff agenda and the high cost of living,” Politico reported.
Data centers target rural areas because, like farms, they require a lot of land and access to substantial water and electricity supplies.
