Kentucky woman declines $26M bid to convert family farm into data centre

For decades, Ida Huddleston and her family have owned and worked a large farm in northern Kentucky. Recently, they turned down a multimillion-dollar proposal to keep that land intact.

According to a report by WKRC, a major artificial intelligence company approached the family last year with an offer of $26 million to purchase a portion of their property for the construction of a data centre. Huddleston and her family chose not to accept the offer, stating that they did not want a data centre built on or near their land.

The property spans approximately 1,200 acres and is located outside Maysville, in Kentucky. The family’s decision reflects a broader concern about preserving farmland and maintaining control over how their land is used.

“They call us old, stupid farmers, you know, but we’re not,” said Huddleston, who is 82, in an interview with Local 12 WKRC. “We know whenever our food is disappearing, our lands are disappearing, and we don’t have any water, and that poison. Well, we know we’ve had it,” she added, referencing concerns about water shortages and environmental impacts that have been reported in areas near large-scale data centres.

Huddleston also expressed scepticism about the economic benefits often associated with such developments. In her view, the proposed project would not deliver meaningful job opportunities or long-term growth for Mason County. “It’s a scam,” she said.

Although the family declined the offer, the company involved has not entirely abandoned its plans. According to the same report, the unnamed firm has revised its proposal and submitted a zoning request to reclassify more than 2,000 acres in northern Kentucky. This means the data centre project could still move forward on nearby land, even if not directly on the Huddleston family’s property.

The situation highlights the growing tension between the expansion of AI infrastructure and local communities seeking to preserve farmland, natural resources, and traditional ways of life.