A 175-year-old family farm in Cranbury, New Jersey, owned by brothers Christopher and Andy Henry, faces possible seizure through eminent domain.
The case has drawn attention from USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, who said on X she’s “looking into this situation immediately” and emphasized the need to “protect family farms at all costs.”
“Whether the Maudes, the Henrys or others whom we will soon announce, the Biden-style government takeover of our family farms is over,” she recently wrote on X. “While this particular case is a city eminent domain issue, we @usda are exploring every legal option to help.”
According to reports, Cranbury Township is moving to seize the historic family farm through eminent domain to build state-mandated affordable housing. Brothers Christopher and Andy Henry, who have owned the leased cattle farm for over a decade, have invested $200,000 into the property and rejected developer offers of up to $30 million. They’ve been fighting the township’s efforts for months.
The Henry brothers argue that their farm’s location near warehouses makes it unsuitable for affordable housing and claim that better sites exist. Their attorney, Timothy Dugan, claims the plan contradicts local efforts to preserve farmland. Andy Henry told FOX Business the town’s move “totally shocked us,” and said they do not want to sell the farm, noting the town’s offer would likely be far less than what warehouse developers have offered.
Cranbury Mayor Lisa Knierim has pushed for eminent domain to avoid costly “builder’s remedy lawsuits” and admitted no one “wants to see a farm disappear.” Cranbury has a population of several thousand. It is part of Middlesex County, which is home to over 890,000 residents.
Rollins, while acknowledging it’s not a federal issue, told the family she would make a few calls to try to help.
On the phone with Andy Henry of Highland Ranch in Cranbury, NJ.
The city govt has approved seizing his 175-year-old family farm via eminent domain for affordable housing units.
Whether the Maudes, the Henrys or others whom we will soon announce, the Biden-style government… pic.twitter.com/0zFSdO9sYj
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 17, 2025