Willie Nelson speaks out against AI data centers threatening rural farmland

At 93 years old, country music artist Willie Nelson issued a social media statement urging Americans to oppose the expansion of AI data centers in rural Texas communities, including his hometown of Abbott.

“I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night,” Mr. Nelson wrote in a social media post. “And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centers invading our land. The last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting, data center anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter).”

Mr. Nelson emphasized that the true strength of rural communities relies on family-owned businesses, open spaces, and careful environmental stewardship rather than massive industrial projects. He cautioned that allowing data centers to consume critical agricultural land puts small farmers’ livelihoods and essential food production at risk, adding, “Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses”.

Environmental activism is familiar territory for the legendary artist, who co-founded Farm Aid alongside John Mellencamp and Neil Young in 1985. Over more than four decades, the nonprofit organization has raised more than $90 million to help keep family farmers on their land and raise public awareness about agricultural loss.

The pushback against rural data center expansion has also gained significant traction among Texas state leaders. During a campaign stop in Bullard, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for strict prohibitions against building AI data centers in rural neighborhoods, as reported by The Texas Tribune. Mr. Abbott insisted that any incoming AI facilities must bring their own funding, generate their own power, recycle their water, and operate in a manner that lowers electricity rates for residents, while also calling for an end to tax breaks for these projects.