Mason County, Kentucky family rejects $26 million AI data center offer to save farmland

A Kentucky family rejected a $26 million offer to sell part of their farmland for an AI data center, saying preserving agricultural land and food resources matters more than money. The Huddleston family owns 1,200 acres in Mason County. The unnamed company sought about half the property, offering nearly 10 times local land value. Generations have farmed the land, including supplying wheat during the Great Depression. The company has approached other nearby landowners, some of whom reportedly accepted offers. Data centers have raised local concerns about electricity consumption, water use, and land loss.