A 175-year-old family farm in Cranbury, New Jersey, faces a government land grab as the township eyes eminent domain to seize it.
Brothers Christopher and Andy Henry, who’ve poured their hearts and $200,000 into the property, are fighting back. This isn’t just a local spat—it’s a battle over property rights that’s caught the eye of the Trump administration.
The New York Post reported that the farm, leased for cattle and owned by the Henrys for over a dozen years, sits in a small town of a few thousand in Middlesex County. The brothers argue the land’s proximity to warehouses makes it a poor fit for homes.
For months, the Henrys have resisted the township’s plans, even turning down developers’ offers as high as $30 million. Their attorney, Timothy Dugan, calls the seizure a betrayal of Cranbury’s supposed commitment to preserving farmland. It’s a classic case of bureaucrats picking winners and losers.
A Cranbury town committee recently greenlit a measure paving the way for eminent domain. Mayor Lisa Knierim claims it’s to dodge costly “builder’s remedy lawsuits” from developers itching to build. Funny how “protecting” the town means bulldozing a family’s legacy.
Knierim insists “no one” wants to see the farm vanish, but actions speak louder than words. If the township moves forward, officials promise a “fair market price” for the land. The Henrys, though, aren’t buying it—Andy Henry told FOX Business the town’s offer would pale compared to what developers dangled.
“Don’t even want to sell it,” Andy Henry said to Jeff Flock. That’s not stubbornness; it’s principle. Forcing a family to give up their heritage for pennies on the dollar smells like government overreach, not progress.
The Henrys’ plight has reached Washington, with US Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stepping in.
Rollins, aware this is a local issue, is still exploring legal avenues to protect the farm. She’s already spoken with Andy Henry by phone, signaling the Trump administration’s concern.
“We must protect family farms at all costs,” Rollins declared. Her stance is a refreshing pushback against the bureaucratic steamroller flattening small-town America. The Henrys deserve allies, not adversaries, in this fight.
“She’s trying to help in any way she could,” Andy Henry said of Rollins. That’s more than can be said for Cranbury’s leaders, who seem more worried about lawsuits than legacy. A federal nudge might remind them what’s at stake.
The farm’s been in the Henry family for 175 years, a testament to grit and tradition. Seizing it for housing—especially when better sites exist, as the Henrys argue—feels like a solution in search of a problem. State mandates shouldn’t trump generational roots.
Cranbury’s justification hinges on affordable housing needs, but the Henrys’ attorney points out the contradiction. If the town truly valued agriculture, it wouldn’t be eyeing farmland for condos. It’s hard to trust leaders who talk preservation while plotting development.
“Shocked us,” Andy Henry told FOX Business. That shock is warranted when a small town turns on its own to appease state bureaucrats. The Henrys aren’t just fighting for their land—they’re fighting for fairness.
Middlesex County, with over 890,000 residents, dwarfs tiny Cranbury, yet this local dispute carries national weight. Property rights, once sacred, are increasingly under siege by progressive agendas cloaked as the public good. The Henrys’ stand is a line in the sand.
Rollins’ involvement shows the Trump administration isn’t blind to these battles. While she acknowledges the issue’s local nature, her promise to explore “every legal option” offers hope. Family farms aren’t just nostalgia—they’re the backbone of rural America.
