How AI Data Centers Are Changing Rural America

Barn Talk

Tork and Sawyer Whisler

Business

4.9 • 1.7K Ratings

🗓️ 11 January 2026

⏱️ 80 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Welcome to Barn Talk! In this episode, Tork and Sawyer are kicking off 2026 with a heavy-hitting conversation covering everything from the latest farm market updates to eye-popping geopolitical events and the new realities of artificial intelligence. The guys break down what the latest corn, bean, and cattle prices mean for Midwest farmers, before diving deep into some of the hottest global headlines—like the U.S. military’s dramatic actions in Venezuela, the complex ties with China and Russia, and why leaders around the world should be paying close attention. But it’s not just big-picture geopolitics. Tork and Sawyer get personal about their goals for the year ahead, with Sawyer picking up archery as a new hobby and Tork tackling the ever-daunting world of estate planning for the family farm. They shine a spotlight on grassroots journalism—praising everyday Americans like independent YouTuber Nick Shirley, whose investigations into massive daycare fraud in Minnesota are shaking up the system. On the home front, they explore the economic boom (and looming bust) created by massive data centers popping up across the Midwest, the trade labor shortages that could rock the ag industry, and the tough choices facing landowners as solar energy companies dangle record-breaking lease offers. If you’re looking for a conversation where farm life meets global events, and personal hustle collides with emerging tech, this is the episode for you. Pull up a chair in the barn—it’s about to get real. SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST ➱ https://bit.ly/3a7r3nR SUBSCRIBE TO THIS’LL DO FARM ➱ https://bit.ly/2X8g45c LISTEN ON: SPOTIFY ➱ https://open.spotify.com/show/3icVr4KWq4eUDl7Oy60YMY APPLE ➱ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/barn-talk/id1574395049 Follow Behind The Scenes👇🏻 ● This’ll Do Farm Instagram ➱ https://bit.ly/30KPBNk ● Barn Talk TikTok ➱ https://bit.ly/3qciekS ● Sawyer’s Instagram ➱ https://bit.ly/3BtX0n4 ● Tork’s Instagram ➱ https://bit.ly/3LGZJxS 00:00 "Tesla's Challenges and Commodity Gains" 07:35 "Estate Planning Challenges" 14:26 Oil Market Dynamics and Geopolitics 20:34 "U.S. Policing and Monroe Doctrine" 23:47 Venezuelan Collapse Under Maduro 31:12 China, U.S. Policy, and Trade 37:55 "Controversy Over Facility Funding" 39:44 Political Bribery and Fraud Allegations 45:24 "Exposing Local Government Waste" 51:07 AI Infrastructure Boom 01:00:09 "Technology Outpaces Infrastructure Development" 01:03:19 "Ag's Future: Labor Challenges Ahead" 01:06:33 Solar Farm Land Lease Competition 01:13:43 "AI's Impact on Entrepreneurial Future" 01:17:26 "Start Storytelling Before AI Dominates" ------------------------------- ⚠NO FINANCIAL ADVICE / DISCLAIMER⚠ The Information discussed and shared on Barn Talk is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or success for any particular purpose. The Information contained in or provided from or through this podcast is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The Information on this podcast and provided from or through our content is general in nature and is not specific to you, the user or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this podcast without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional, professional broker or financial advisory. Understand that you are using any and all Information available on or through thi... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	All of the food we eat and much of the clothing we wear comes from plants and animals that are raised on farms.
0:05.6	Farms are different in type, in size, and even in name.
0:26.5	Welcome to Barn Talk. What happens that the barn stays in the barn, but not today.
0:31.5	We're going to let it all out for you guys. And welcome to 2026. It's going to be a damn good 26. It's going to be a damn good year. But before we get in today's episode, guys, you guys know the
0:36.7	drill. If you get any value from the show
0:38.9	please please please share the show with the people that you know the more that you guys do that
0:44.7	the more that the show grows the more episodes we can make the more guests we can have on the more
0:49.7	credible you make our show it's just a win win for everybody it everybody. It's kind of the, kind of the ticket to
0:55.3	admission to watch or listen to the show. Another thing you can do to help us out here, Barn Talk,
1:00.0	is you can leave a review on Spotify or Apple. The more that you guys do that, the more credible
1:05.7	you make our show so we can have more great guests come to the, come to the barn and have a great conversation with us.
1:12.3	So we appreciate all you that do any of those things to help us out here at Barn Talk.
1:17.9	We couldn't, couldn't do this show without you guys.
1:21.0	And we really want to make this year great.
1:23.1	So the more you guys can help us out with those two things,
1:25.7	the more we're going to make it great.
1:27.8	I like puzzling people because I know, at least I think I know,
1:32.1	that people that do look at like the Spotify charts
1:36.2	or the Apple charts for like business podcasts,
1:39.2	whenever we show up there, it's got to puzzle them a little bit.
1:42.6	They've got to be like, who are these guys? What are they doing doing? Well, let's just try to keep, let's chart every week. I know, right? Let's puzzle them every week. We are good at puzzling. Yeah. And today, I'm puzzled. The new year has been quite puzzling. Yes, there's been a lot of shit that's going on. That's what we're going to talk about. We are going to talk about that, but before we do, we probably should have a New Year's
2:05.6	market update. So, in my greedy little hands, I have it, hot off the press. Corn for March
	...

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