US farmers oppose AI data center expansion on agricultural land
US farmers, ranchers and agricultural organizations are increasingly opposing the construction of artificial intelligence data centers on farmland, warning that the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure could reduce agricultural land, increase water consumption and drive up electricity costs.
Concerns are particularly strong in agricultural states. In Montana, an energy company has purchased about 6,000 acres of rangeland that could be used for a large AI data center. Local farmers warn that during drought years agriculture would likely be forced to cut water use to meet the facilities’ demand. The company, however, says no final decision has been made regarding the future use of the land.
Similar concerns have been raised by the Illinois Farm Bureau, which says technology companies are aggressively competing for rural land. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the United States already has about 5,000 data centers that are either operating or under construction.
Technology industry representatives reject the criticism. The Data Center Coalition argues that modern data centers use water more efficiently than agriculture and notes that in states such as Indiana and Georgia, new data centers have helped stabilize or even reduce electricity rates by supporting investment in power infrastructure.
Despite the debate, agriculture itself is becoming an increasingly active user of artificial intelligence. Companies such as Cargill are deploying AI-powered computer vision systems at beef processing plants, while farmers are adopting AI tools to improve farm management. Agricultural organizations say future data center expansion should strike a balance between developing digital infrastructure and protecting the land and water resources needed for food production.
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