Rural America is rapidly becoming the next frontier for digital infrastructure, and the scale of the transformation is without modern precedent. According to a Pew Research Center analysis released in April 2026, 67% of the approximately 1,500 data center facilities now in various stages of development are planned for rural locations and 39% percent of planned projects are targeting counties that currently have no data center.
Agri-Pulse is holding a webinar on August 27 to discuss why data centers are growing across rural America and what the potential impacts are on jobs, infrastructure, water demands and energy usage. Speakers include Microsoft Senior Fellow Mary Snapp, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson, and Bernt Nelson, American Farm Bureau Federation Economist.
“This is a critically important moment which deserves both discussion and debate about what data centers will mean for rural America,” said Agri-Pulse Founder Sara Wyant. “We plan to provide a clear-eyed assessment of data center development, which requires acknowledging the real costs alongside the benefits.”
The webinar will be held at noon central time, August 27, and is free for current Agri-Pulse subscribers, $79 for non-subscribers. Click here for registration and more information.
