How the Spread of Data Centers Is Forcing America’s Farmers Off the Land—And Turning Rural Communities Into Digital Sacrifice Zones
Yanasa TV News
When Progress Means Sacrifice—But Always Someone Else’s
In rural America, there’s a phrase few city dwellers have ever heard: “sacrifice zone.” It’s the term farmers and ranchers use for communities and landscapes written off for the sake of “progress”—where livelihoods, legacies, and landscapes are surrendered to the demands of a growing, digital world. And nowhere is this more evident than in the explosive spread of data centers across once-quiet farmland.
Virginia: Ground Zero for Data Center Development
Virginia hosts the world’s largest data center market. In Northern Virginia’s so-called “Data Center Alley,” more than 35% of the globe’s internet traffic flows through server farms that now crowd out former fields and pastures (VEDP, Digital Realty).
With billions in new investments—from Amazon’s record-breaking $20 billion data center in Pennsylvania (PA Gov) to controversial proposals along the East Coast—rural communities are caught between new tax revenue and the irreversible loss of their way of life.
The Farmer’s Dilemma: Sell Out or Be Forced Out?
The transcript above tells the story of Darren Culbertson, a Virginia farmer and elected supervisor, who ultimately agreed to sell his land for a data center. Culbertson inherited his farm from his grandfather and ran for office as an opponent of data center sprawl. But after years of forced utility easements, relentless property tax hikes, and mounting pressure from surrounding developments, he decided to walk away.
He’s not alone. With every farm that sells, the pressure mounts on the holdouts—higher valuations mean higher taxes, and the rural landscape fractures. The freedom to farm is steadily eroded until even the most stubborn rancher has to consider: stay and lose money, or sell and lose your legacy?
This isn’t just about money. “It’s about the environment. It’s about the lifestyle,” the speaker says. And it’s about community. Once these farms are gone, so is a piece of rural America—forever.
Are Data Centers the New Urban Sprawl?
Data centers are the 21st-century equivalent of suburban sprawl—vast, power-hungry fortresses that reshape communities overnight. The demand for digital convenience, artificial intelligence, and cloud storage is insatiable. Even if you don’t stream movies or upload selfies, your bank, doctor, and grocer are all online. And all of it runs on servers, cooled and powered by enormous amounts of water and electricity—often in places where those resources are already scarce.
Why are these facilities popping up in farm country?
Because that’s where the land is cheapest and least protected—and where political resistance is weakest. As farms sell, neighboring properties see their value skyrocket, often beyond what any honest farm operation can afford in property taxes (Fauquier.com). Zoning boards and planning commissions, often under pressure from state and federal mandates, can do little to stop the tide.
How Many Farms Are We Losing?
America loses about 10,000 farms each year, according to the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture (USDA data). Between 2017 and 2022, the country lost over 142,000 farms—an astonishing rate that continues to accelerate. Much of this loss is driven by urban and industrial encroachment, with data centers now among the most aggressive buyers.
“Progress” for Whom?
Politicians and tech companies talk about jobs, “investment,” and digital futures. But for those who actually work the land, these are empty words. The story of Darren Culbertson—targeted for investigation for simply making the same painful choice so many have made before—shows just how twisted the system has become. Meanwhile, powerful developers can sit on committees, oversee eminent domain takings, and never face questions.
In the end, farmers are being forced to pay for the conveniences everyone else enjoys. They pay in lost land, broken communities, and shattered traditions.
Can Rural America Survive the Digital Land Rush?
The speaker asks a tough question: Is there any way to push back? Is it possible to save rural communities from becoming sacrifice zones, or will the relentless demand for cloud storage and AI doom another generation of farmers to extinction?
The answer lies in public consciousness and political will. Until the costs and consequences are honestly counted—and until the right to farm is truly defended—America’s data centers will keep growing. And with every new server farm, a little more of rural America will vanish.
Sources & Further Reading:
- Virginia Economic Development Partnership – Data Centers
- Digital Realty – Why Ashburn, VA?
- Governor Shapiro Announces Amazon’s $20B Data Center in Pennsylvania
- Fauquier.com – Fauquier Supervisor Defends Decision to Sell Family Farm for Data Centers
- USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture Highlights
Support farm families—before your rural neighbors become another data point in someone else’s cloud.
