Funding for this Special Report was provided by the Lumpkin Family Foundation.
Barn Raiser Special Report
Data Centers
Opposition to data center projects is one of the few issues that many Americans agree on. The ultimate question will be: Do rural residents have the power to say no?
A demonstrator at an April rally in Traverse City, Michigan, holds a sign emblematic of the growing data center resistance.
CAFOs
August 27, 2026
Do Rural Residents Have the Power to Say No?
From CAFOs to data centers, corporate America dodges local control
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Politics
July 24, 2026
Data Centers Divide Democrats in Michigan Primary
Senate candidates offer conflicting visions over the role of A.I. and corporate power
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2026 Elections
July 11, 2026
A Young Populist Heats Up the Texas Agriculture Commissioner Race
Data centers, Big Ag and the New World screwworm take center stage for rural voters
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Environment
February 19, 2026
Data Centers Are Reshaping Local Politics in the Great Lakes
Rural communities raise the alarm about rising costs and water use
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