Ongoing: Government Plans To Seize 175-Year-Old Family Farm for Housing
How Eminent Domain Became a Tool to Destroy Agricultural Heritage
A New Jersey township wants to seize a family farm owned since 1850 for housing development, sparking debates about property rights and preservation.
What You'll Learn in This Article
How eminent domain abuse is targeting family farms for development projects
The real story behind New Jersey's affordable housing mandates
Why the Henry farm represents a broader threat to agricultural preservation
Legal strategies families can use to protect generational farmland
The connection between land seizure and food system control
In Cranbury Township, New Jersey, a 175-year-old family farm stands at the center of a constitutional battle that could reshape how America views property rights, agricultural preservation, and government power. The Henry family's story isn't just about one farm - it's about whether generational agricultural land can survive in the face of government mandates and development pressure.
The stakes couldn't be higher: If the government can seize productive farmland that's been in the same family since 1850, what does property ownership really mean in America?
The Henry Family Farm: A Living Piece of American History
Andy Henry and his brother Christopher inherited their 21-acre property on South River Road approximately 12 years ago. The land has been in continuous family ownership since 1850 - making it older than the Transcontinental Railroad, predating the Civil War, and representing seven generations of American agricultural heritage!
The brothers have poured more than $200,000 into maintaining the property, which currently supports sheep and cattle operations through a local tenant farmer.
BUT, in April 2025, they received notification that their property was being considered for acquisition to meet state-mandated affordable housing requirements.
Mount Laurel doctrine: The Legal Framework Behind the Seizure
New Jersey's Mount Laurel doctrine, established in 1975, requires each municipality to provide a "realistic opportunity" for affordable housing construction. Cranbury Township faces a constitutional obligation to provide 265 units of affordable housing over the next decade.
The township committee unanimously approved an ordinance in May 2025 permitting acquisition of the Henry farm through either voluntary negotiations or eminent domain.
Mayor Lisa Knierim explained that strict state standards significantly limited potential sites. The affordable housing site had to be near sewer, water, mass transportation, and comply with a 250-foot warehouse distribution buffer zone that was implemented just three months before the decision.
In other words, the government created regulations that made the farm one of the few "suitable" properties, then used those same regulations to justify its seizure.
The Eminent Domain Process: How Government Takes Your Land
New Jersey follows the Eminent Domain Act of 1971, establishing a four-step process:
Good-faith negotiations (often superficial as ‘good faith’ in intentionally ambiguous)
Court authorization (a rubber stamped, formality)
Commissioner evaluation (more often than not favors government)
Potential trial proceedings (expensive and uncertain - it’s a government vs. a person)
The government must demonstrate "legitimate public purpose" and provide "just compensation" based on fair market value. But who defines "just" when your family's 175-year connection to the land is considered worthless?
The Henry farm is worth upwards of $5 million due to its strategic location between the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 130. But no amount of money can replace seven generations of agricultural heritage.
But The Community Is Fighting Back
The proposed seizure has generated massive community resistance, revealing that many Americans still believe in property rights over government mandates.
Creative Resistance
Memorial Day protest: Residents dressed as cows during the parade to show support for preserving the farm
GoFundMe campaign: Established to help cover the family's legal expenses, which could exceed $150,000 (support it HERE)
Facebook coordination: "Save the Farm 1234 S River Road" group created to track developments
Expert opposition: Former Cranbury Mayor Jay Taylor argues the farm's location in an industrial zone makes it unsuitable for residential development
The Location Problem
Community members raise valid concerns about the proposed development's impact:
Distance from services: The farm sits approximately two miles from the town center and nearest NJ Transit bus station
Safety concerns: Children wouldn't be able to safely bike to town or reach community amenities
Air quality issues: Proximity to the New Jersey Turnpike raises concerns about pollution affecting residents
Industrial isolation: Surrounding warehouses create an unsuitable environment for families
Mayor Jay Taylor gives insight to why the farm’s location won’t work, "For sixty years, Cranbury has maintained an inclusive community by ensuring affordable housing units were integrated within residential areas rather than isolated in industrial zones."
Agricultural Heritage vs. Development Pressure
The Henry farm represents more than individual property rights - it embodies the tension between preserving America's agricultural heritage and responding to development pressure.
New Jersey's Farmland Preservation Conflict
New Jersey operates an extensive Farmland Preservation Program that has protected over 2,000 acres in Cranbury Township alone. Middlesex County has preserved approximately 5,500 acres of farmland since 1988.
Yet the same government agencies that promote farmland preservation are now using eminent domain to seize one of the last remaining agricultural properties in the area.
Thirty Years of Resistance
The Henry family has successfully resisted warehouse development for over thirty years, repeatedly rejecting lucrative offers from developers worth tens of millions of dollars to maintain the property's agricultural character.
As the last remaining agricultural land within the Cranbury Light Industrial zone, its potential loss represents a critical break in the area's agricultural heritage.
The Food Sovereignty Connection
This case extends far beyond housing policy - it strikes at the heart of food sovereignty and agricultural independence.
Why Farmland Seizure Threatens Food Security
When governments can seize productive agricultural land for development projects, they directly impact:
Local food production capacity
Agricultural knowledge preservation
Farming community stability
Regional food security
Small, family-owned farms like the Henry property often serve as testing grounds for sustainable practices, heritage seed preservation, and innovative farming methods that industrial operations won't attempt.
Losing this farm won’t just impact the local economy but the push towards regenerative agriculture across the country. It gives a slippery slope to more eminent domain seizures!
Economic vs. Ecological Value
The township views the Henry farm through a purely economic lens - land that can generate tax revenue through housing development.
But this ignores the farm's ecological and cultural value:
Soil health preservation from 175 years of agricultural management
Carbon sequestration through grassland and livestock operations
Biodiversity habitat that supports local ecosystems
Agricultural education opportunities for the community
You can't replace 175 years of soil development and agricultural knowledge with affordable housing. It’s simple: do we need more housing or regenerative farming…FARMING!
Legal Strategy: Fighting Eminent Domain Abuse
The Henry family has retained legal counsel to challenge the township's action, but they face significant obstacles:
Valuation Challenges
Eminent domain cases involving agricultural land present unique problems:
Compensation must account for land value AND potential loss of income
Interference with harvesting operations must be considered
The productive life of remaining crops affects calculations
Specialized legal representation with agricultural knowledge is required
Constitutional Arguments
Property rights advocates argue that forcing unwilling sellers to surrender generational farmland represents government overreach, especially when:
The family's 175-year connection to the land has cultural value
Substantial recent investments demonstrate commitment to the property
Alternative sites exist that wouldn't displace agricultural operations
🚨 TAKE ACTION: Help Save Andy's Family Farm 🚨
The Henry family needs your support to fight this government land seizure. Their legal battle to save 175 years of agricultural heritage will cost over $150,000 - money that should be going toward farming, not fighting bureaucrats.
Every contribution helps preserve property rights for all American families: Support Andy's Family Farm GoFundMe
When government can seize productive farmland that's been in families for generations, no one's property is safe. Your support helps fund the legal fight that protects us all.
Broader Policy Implications
The Cranbury controversy reflects challenges facing municipalities trying to balance affordable housing obligations with community preservation goals.
Alternative Solutions Ignored
Community members suggest several alternatives the township didn't adequately consider:
Brownfield development on contaminated sites that need remediation
Non-developable areas that wouldn't displace existing agricultural uses
More transparent public engagement in the planning process
Locations that better serve both affordable housing goals and community integration
State Policy Conflicts
New Jersey simultaneously promotes farmland preservation through dedicated programs while compelling municipalities to identify agricultural development sites for housing.
The Garden State Preservation Trust Act prohibits seizure of preserved farmland through eminent domain, but unpreserved agricultural land remains vulnerable. This policy gap reveals poor coordination between housing and preservation objectives.
Climate Change and Agricultural Refuge
As climate change impacts traditional agricultural regions, the loss of productive farmland near population centers becomes increasingly problematic.
New Jersey's strategic position: The state's relatively stable climate and productive soils position it as an agricultural refuge as other regions face extreme weather, drought, and shifting growing conditions.
The Henry farm's location: Being situated between major transportation routes makes it valuable for local food distribution, potentially serving urban populations as supply chains become less reliable.
Long-term thinking: Climate adaptation requires preserving agricultural land near population centers, not converting it to housing that will depend on distant food sources.
FAQs
Q: Can the government really force a family to sell land they've owned for 175 years? A: Yes, through eminent domain, if they can demonstrate "public purpose" and provide "just compensation." However, families can challenge both the seizure justification and the compensation amount in court.
Q: What makes this case different from typical eminent domain abuse? A: The combination of 175-year family ownership, active agricultural use, recent substantial investments, and available alternative sites makes this an unusually strong case for property rights advocates.
Q: How do affordable housing mandates affect rural communities? A: State housing mandates often pressure rural communities to sacrifice agricultural land and community character to meet urban-driven requirements, creating conflicts between local values and state policies.
Q: What can other farming families learn from this case? A: Document all property investments, understand your state's eminent domain laws, consider formal preservation programs, and connect with property rights organizations before facing government pressure.
Q: Why should people who don't farm care about this issue? A: Agricultural land seizure affects food security, climate resilience, and the precedent that government can override property rights for policy goals. Today's farm seizure could be tomorrow's suburban home taking.
About the Author: Ryan Griggs is the founder of The Regenaissance, a movement dedicated to rebuilding food sovereignty through regenerative agriculture, ancestral wisdom, and radical truth-telling.