NJ family wins fight to save 175-year farm from eminent domain seizure

A fight to save a 175-year-old family farm in New Jersey is now over after the township and farm’s owners reached an agreement to avoid turning half of its land into affordable housing developments.

“It’s been our legacy for 175 years, and all my ancestors struggled to get through all kinds of crises – the house burning down, the Great Depression. So to be able to keep it as we always wanted to do is just such a blessing,” said Henry family farm co-owner and manager Andy Henry, who joined “Fox & Friends Weekend” alongside his brother, Christopher. 

Back in April, the Cranbury Township Committee announced an affordable housing plan that would have allowed local officials to seize the Henry family farm through an eminent domain seizure. 

This stems from a New Jersey mandate ordering that towns in the state build more than 146,000 affordable housing units by 2035, according to NJ.com. 

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“The Township of Cranbury was required to build a certain number of affordable housing units over the next ten years. As part of that plan, they selected the Henry farm to build about 130 affordable housing units. We opposed it, filed a lawsuit, and believed it wasn’t a suitable site for proper use with the power of eminent domain,” Timothy Duggan, the family’s attorney, also explained on Sunday.

Local outlets have reported that court records indicate the deal is set to be finalized by the end of the year, and was ultimately reached due to a change in the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency rules that allow other land in Cranbury to be used.

Before the conflict officially ended, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins advocated for stopping the seizure of the land, posting on X Thursday that good news was coming and writing, “Andy, you are a warrior!”

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement on Thursday noting the family farm is “an essential and deeply cherished part of our state’s story” and thanked the Trump administration for helping protect the farm.

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“From the very beginning, I have opposed efforts to seize the Henry Family Farm through eminent domain. While every town in New Jersey must do its part to resolve our state’s affordable housing crisis, these efforts must be pursued thoughtfully and collaboratively,” Murphy wrote. “New Jersey will always protect its farmers and farmland. And we will always live up to our reputation as the Garden State.”

The Henry brothers gave thanks to their neighbors for their unwavering support.

“I know that the residents of Cranbury have helped us immensely,” Christopher said. “My brother is the manager of our farm and he certainly deserves a lot of credit. He was there in April when we got the letter. I know he’s worked with Secretary Rollins and other people. There’s just been a lot of people with a lot of concern that have helped us through this journey, and we’re extremely grateful to all of them.”

The Henry family bought the farm in 1850 and has turned down developers for years to keep the property in the family. They primarily raise cattle and sheep but have previously tended chickens and goats.

When asked what their favorite part about the farm is, Christopher responded: “I guess just a feeling of being back there, since it’s where Andy and I grew up. Just a sense of history and the people who have lived there, a lot of the photographs we have. You know, my mother and father were a big part of it, I know they wanted to keep the thing in the family. It’s, I guess, just a sense of history, and everything that comes with it.”

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