A Northern Kentucky farming family has turned down a $26 million offer to sell part of their land for a proposed data center, choosing instead to keep farming the property their family has worked for generations.
Ida Huddleston, 82, and her daughter Delsia Bare own about 1,200 acres of farmland outside Maysville in Mason County.
Last April, representatives of an unnamed Fortune 100 company approached them about buying roughly half the property. The offer came at about 10 times the local market rate for farmland.
Bare told reporters the decision was clear. “If it’s my way, I’ll stay and hold and feed a nation,” she said. “$26 million doesn’t mean anything.” She added that the land has sustained her family through tough times, including the Great Depression.
“As long as I’m on this land, as long as it’s feeding me, as long as it’s taking care of me, there’s nothing that can destroy me if I’ve got this land.”
Huddleston also rejected the offer. She expressed doubt about the company’s promises of jobs and economic growth for the area. The family said they have no interest in selling any portion of the farm.
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The proposal is part of a larger effort to secure more than 2,000 acres for a major data center development tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Local officials have said the project could bring hundreds of jobs, but details remain limited because many involved have signed nondisclosure agreements.
Public records show the effort involves a large power request. East Kentucky Power Cooperative received an application for 2.2 gigawatts of additional load, enough electricity to support a very large facility.
The cooperative has studied how to meet that demand, including upgrades near its Spurlock generating station.
The power request exceeds the cooperative’s current total generation capacity in some estimates and points to a specific location near existing infrastructure. Developers typically do not file such large requests without significant planning already in place.
Other landowners in the same area have also turned down offers. Tim Grosser, who owns about 250 acres nearby, rejected proposals that reached $10 million or more for his property.
He and his family use the land for hay, cattle, and hunting. Grosser said he does not want to sell, even when asked to name his price.
At least seven families along the same road have declined offers, according to reports from local news outlets.
In Pennsylvania, an 86-year-old farmer rejected a $15.7 million bid for his land and instead sold development rights to a farmland trust for far less money to protect it permanently.
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Farmland in Mason County typically sells for around $6,000 to $7,500 per acre. The offers to these families were reported at $35,000 to $60,000 per acre or higher.
The data center push comes as technology companies build more facilities to handle growing demand for computing power, especially for AI systems. These projects need large amounts of land and electricity, often in rural areas with available power capacity.
Kentucky has seen other data center proposals, including one in Louisville that plans for up to 525 megawatts.
State lawmakers have introduced bills to set rules for large power users, including requirements that data centers cover the costs of electricity and transmission upgrades so existing customers do not pay more.
In Mason County, some residents worry about the loss of farmland and changes to the local landscape and water use. Others see potential tax revenue and jobs.
The Huddleston family said the land is more than an asset. It is where they grow crops and raise animals that help feed people. They plan to continue that work.
Bare and Huddleston have received multiple contacts from the developers but have not changed their position.
Kudos to these families!