Delsia Bare noted that farmland in the area is typically valued at around $6,000 per acre – making the offer she received nearly 10 times higherA woman from northern Kentucky and her daughter have turned down a staggering $26 million (Rs 244.7 crore) proposal to sell a portion of their family farmland, saying they refuse to see it transformed into an Artificial Intelligence data centre.Speaking to CBS affiliate WKRC in Cincinnati, Ida Huddleston and her daughter Delsia Bare explained why they rejected the lucrative offer despite the massive financial incentive.“They call us old stupid farmers, you know, but we’re not,” Huddleston said. “We know whenever our food is disappearing, our lands are disappearing, and we don’t have any water, and that poison. Well, we know we’ve had it.”The family owns roughly 1,200 acres of farmland near Maysville – located about two and a half hours east of Louisville. Bare said an unidentified company first approached them in April last year with an offer to purchase nearly half the property for a proposed data center project.“Stay and hold and feed a nation,” Bare told WKRC. “$26 million doesn’t mean anything.”She emphasised that her family’s connection to the land stretches back generations.“My grandfather and great-grandfather and a whole bunch of family have all lived here for years, paid taxes on it, fed a nation off of it,” she said. “Even raised wheat through the Depression and kept bread lines up in the United States of America when people didn’t have anything else.”Story continues below this adAccording to Bare, several landowners in Mason County were contacted by what was described as a “major artificial intelligence company.” She noted that farmland in the area is typically valued at around $6,000 per acre – making the offer she received nearly 10 times higher.Huddleston, now 82, said she remains firmly opposed to selling.“I say they’re a liar, and the truth isn’t in them,” she said, dismissing claims that the project would generate jobs and boost the local economy. “That’s what I say. It’s a scam.”Watch the video:NEW: Kentucky family rejects $26 million offer to convert part of their farm into a data center despite the offer being about 10 times the going rate for farmland in the area.“If it’s my way, I’ll stay and hold and feed a nation. 26 million doesn’t mean anything.”“As long as… pic.twitter.com/eK9gTXmwq0— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 24, 2026 Bare compared her deep emotional bond with the land to that of Scarlett O’Hara in the classic film Gone With the Wind.“As she was attached to that land,” Bare said. “Her spirit never would die. That’s the exact same thing for me right here. As long as I’m on this land, as long as it’s feeding me, as long as it’s taking care of me, there’s nothing that can destroy me if I’ve got this land.”Story continues below this adAlthough the family refused the deal, Bare revealed that the company has since revised its plans using parcels sold by other landowners – meaning the data center could still be developed nearby. A proposal has now been submitted to rezone nearly 2,000 acres in the region, with a public hearing expected before the local joint planning commission.Meanwhile, a video of the family discussing their decision has gone viral online, drawing widespread public reaction. Many commenters praised their resolve.One person wrote, “The backbone Americans of this country will not be bought out by big Tech bullshit. Stand strong.” Another added, “I really admire their resilience… But if the offer is only for part of the land, not all of it… I can’t lie, that $26 million would make anyone think twice.”Others expressed concern for their safety and the future of farmland in general. A user commented, “Make sure to check in on this family and make sure they are protected.” Another reflected, “This is bigger than money. That land represents stability, identity, and a way of life that can’t be replaced once it’s gone.”