Article

Mervin Raudabaugh, an 86-year-old farmer in Pennsylvania, refused a $15 million offer to convert his land into a data center, opting instead to sell development rights for 105 acres for $1.9 million to a farmland preservation organization. This ensures the land remains dedicated to agriculture forever.

Raudabaugh's decision comes amid a surge in digital infrastructure development in Pennsylvania, creating tension between economic growth and agricultural preservation in Cumberland County. Local resistance to such developments is growing, with other landowners also rejecting similar offers.