Home / Environment / Farmer Rejects $15M to Save Farmland
Farmer Rejects $15M to Save Farmland
20 Feb
Summary
- Farmer Mervin Raudabaugh declined $15 million for his 261 acres.
- He sold development rights to the Lancaster Farmland Trust for $2 million.
- The land will remain agricultural, resisting data center development.
An 86-year-old Pennsylvania farmer has chosen to preserve his agricultural legacy over immense financial gain. Mervin Raudabaugh declined a $15 million offer from a data center developer for his two farms, totaling 261 acres. He opted instead to transfer the development rights to the Lancaster Farmland Trust (LTF) for approximately $2 million.
Raudabaugh stated his decision was driven by a desire to prevent his land from being destroyed by development, emphasizing that it was his life for 50 years. The LTF, which has preserved over 38,310 acres since 1988, will ensure the land remains solely for agricultural purposes. This transaction highlights a growing tension in Pennsylvania, a prime location for data centers due to its open land and infrastructure.
Data center development, fueled by AI expansion, offers lucrative prices that preservation groups like LTF struggle to match. LTF can only compensate landowners about 20% of what developers offer. Despite the financial sacrifice, Raudabaugh's choice underscores a deep connection to the land and a commitment to its long-term viability for future generations, resisting the trend of agricultural land being viewed as 'idle' and targeted for development.
