Story perspectives

WNBA Star's Viral Call to Save Farmland Sparks Bipartisan Fury

7/17/2026

Summary

Cunningham Demands Farmland

WNBA star Sophie Cunningham posted on X on Thursday asking how to save farmland and stop data centers.
The tweet amassed more than 8 million views, over 4,000 retweets and about 6,000 comments.
Liberals, conservatives—including Stephen Miller—and ordinary users responded with anger but offered no clear explanations.
Commenters debated data-center impacts on farmland, water and privacy and suggested removing golf courses, highlighting disputes over rural America, big-tech influence and environmental priorities.

Summary

QTS Buys Farmland

QTS Data Centers, owned by Blackstone, spent $586 million to buy about 1,700 acres of U.S. farmland for AI facilities.
The Kiliti family sold their 89-acre Pennsylvania farm to QTS, showing small farms entering tech.
The Guardian reported Kentucky farmer Ida Huddleston was offered $33 million for her property, highlighting rising land values.
Proponents say data centers generate up to 1,000 times more property-tax revenue per acre and create jobs, boosting local economies.

History

Historical Context

Microsoft bought land in Quincy, Washington in 2006 and opened the Columbia Data Center in 2007, attracted by cheap hydroelectric power and state tax credits; the facility used about 30–50 MW in 2012 and sparked a wave of rural data-center construction. Blackstone-owned QTS Data Centers now plans to acquire 1,700 acres for AI farms, echoing that early conversion of farmland into tech infrastructure.

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Cunningham Demands Farmland

WNBA star Sophie Cunningham posted on X on Thursday asking how to save farmland and stop data centers.
The tweet amassed more than 8 million views, over 4,000 retweets and about 6,000 comments.
Liberals, conservatives—including Stephen Miller—and ordinary users responded with anger but offered no clear explanations.
Commenters debated data-center impacts on farmland, water and privacy and suggested removing golf courses, highlighting disputes over rural America, big-tech influence and environmental priorities.

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