Missouri farmer who once led the Farm Bureau invites AI data-center developers to buy his land

Former Missouri Farm Bureau chief Blake Hurst has publicly asked AI data-center firms to submit offers for his Atchison County property, countering widespread local opposition to such projects.

Blake Hurst, a former leader of the Missouri Farm Bureau, is openly seeking bids from AI data-center operators for his land in Atchison County, Missouri, after writing one outlet's op-ed that says, "developers, make me an offer." His farm lies about 40 miles from the proposed White Cloud Acres campus in Nodaway County, a project valued at $6.3 billion that county commissioners placed under a six-month moratorium on July 21 while negotiating with developer Scale Microgrids.

Hurst counters local resistance—evidenced by a petition with more than 7,000 signatures and opposition from Maryville’s mayor—by noting the region’s declining population and the projected 130 on-site jobs and over $1 billion in tax revenue over 35 years. He also argues that the centre’s water use, requiring an initial 1.5 million gallons of municipal wastewater, is comparable to many small factories, and that the developer’s plan to build its own generating capacity will limit grid impact.

Nationwide, opposition to data-centers has risen, with polls showing 63-70% disapproval, and several states have enacted moratoria, including New York under Governor Kathy Hochul and a vetoed Maine bill by Governor Janet Mills. Hurst’s stance reflects a broader debate over AI infrastructure and rural economic development.