U.S. AI Data Centers Threaten Farmland as Nearly 5,000 Facilities Expand Across Midwest

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), approximately 5,000 AI data centers are now operating or under construction across the United States, with rapidly expanding operations in the Midwest intensifying competition with agriculture for land, electricity, and water resources. Single projects occupy thousands of acres, while large facilities consume as much power as mid-sized cities, straining rural electrical grids and reducing irrigation and livestock water availability during drought conditions.

Farm advocates cite U.S. Department of Agriculture data showing agricultural land loss from 2017 to 2022 equivalent to the entire state of Maine. In response, residents in Montana, Michigan, and other states have organized to lobby for legislative restrictions, with approximately 20 state legislatures currently considering measures to limit agricultural land conversion for data center development.