Farm–Compute Compact
Technology should help keep agriculture viable.
A third position between unrestricted data-center development and complete opposition—built on avoidance, transparency, enforceable commitments, and long-term agricultural reinvestment.
Why this exists
A third position
Public debate frequently presents only two options. The Compact proposes a responsible path between them.
The Farm–Compute Compact proposes that technology infrastructure earn its place in agricultural communities by helping keep agriculture viable—through farmland avoidance, transparent resource use, enforceable commitments, and long-term reinvestment, not goodwill or one-time checks.
- Avoidance
- Transparency
- Enforceable commitments
- Agricultural resilience
- Farmer participation
Draft standard
Agricultural Community Bill of Principles
These ten principles form the current draft standard. They are offered for public and technical review, not as a finished or enforceable code. They are draft provisions—not currently a certification or binding obligation.
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Productive farmland should be the last siting option, after industrial, brownfield, and previously disturbed sites are ruled out.
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Agricultural communities should participate before major siting and financing decisions are finalized, not after.
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Water and electricity use, by site, should be publicly disclosed on a recurring basis.
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Residents and farms should not unfairly subsidize private infrastructure through tax shifts or utility rate impacts.
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Where permanent agricultural land conversion occurs, it should produce permanent farmland protection elsewhere, at a defined ratio.
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Community benefits should be measurable, contractual, and enforceable, not promotional.
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Agricultural investment commitments should continue for the operating life of the facility.
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Farmers and rural residents should hold real seats in the governance of local benefit programs.
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Where technically feasible, computing infrastructure should actively support agricultural productivity, through waste heat, energy, water, or data partnerships.
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Performance against these commitments should be independently reviewed and publicly reported.
Documents
Download the Compact
PDF is the primary reading format. DOCX is provided as an editable version for reuse and adaptation under CC BY 4.0.
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The Farm–Compute Compact: A Framework for Responsible Data Center Development in Agricultural Communities
Complete framing, evidence context, draft principles, governance disclosure, and proposed directions for responsible development.
DOCX labeled for adaptation and reuse.
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The Farm–Compute Compact Executive Summary
The challenge, the Compact’s third position, primary asks, governance status, and proposed Virginia pilot—at a glance.
DOCX labeled for adaptation and reuse.
Status and governance
What this is—and is not
Clear limits keep the Compact credible while it remains a draft for review.
- The Compact is a voluntary framework.
- It is not currently a certification program.
- No project is certified, approved, endorsed, or scored.
- It does not claim to represent every farmer, rural resident, or technology company.
- It is not a substitute for local zoning or environmental review.
- It is not currently a lobbying platform.
- Any future standards or certification structure would require public governance and funding disclosures.
Get involved
Take this work and run with it
The published Farm–Compute Compact materials are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. You may copy, share, adapt, build upon, and use them commercially—with appropriate attribution.
- Farmers, land trusts, counties, utilities, universities, and developers can start from the draft principles and documents.
- Adapt the framework for local standards, pilot proposals, or community benefit discussions.
- Keep the draft and non-certification status clear when you reuse the materials.
Recommended attribution:
Adapted from the Farm–Compute Compact, originally developed by
Avorka, Inc.