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Farmers raise questions about data centers and rural resources

The impact of data continues to be a topic of discussion among farmers. 

Southeast Kansas farmer Ben Bellar says he has mixed feelings but is worried that the heat produced could impact crop health. “The heat could help it on the right years, but it could also really damage it in the wrong years. However, I don’t know enough about them yet.”

South-central Nebraska producer Michael Dibbern says there could be an increase in electrical rates and loads. “What we’ve been hearing over the last couple of years is that we’re running electrical power.”

However, he tells Brownfield, “In some conversations with the public power districts, they’re confident that the power that’s slated to be built out can take care of that.”

Northeast Nebraska farmer Greg Anderson says further expansion could reduce water supplies and raise land rates. “Farmers want to see their generational farms continue and not be sold out to a corporation that could care less perhaps about whatever footprint they might leave.”

The producers say while there are risks, there needs to be a balance in how centers are regulated and how information is stored.