Latest news with #AndyHenry
New York Post
13 hours ago
- Business
- New York Post
Trump administration pushes back on NJ town moving to seize 175-year-old family farm via eminent domain
A longtime family farm in Cranbury, New Jersey, is at risk of being seized by the town through eminent domain. The situation with the farm owned by brothers Christopher and Andy Henry, which has been in their family for 175 years, recently drew notice from US Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Rollins said on X last week that she was 'looking into this situation immediately,' adding, 'We must 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 wrote in a subsequent June 17 post. 'While this particular case is a city eminent domain issue, we @usda are exploring every legal option to help.' Rollins also said she had been 'on the phone' with Andy Henry. The farm is under threat of seizure by Cranbury Township after a town committee signed off on a measure that would pave the way for eminent domain seizure, reported. Cranbury Township is looking at possibly building state-mandated affordable housing on a large portion of the farm's land, according to the outlet. The Henry brothers have reportedly been fighting to prevent the seizure of the farm for months. 5 Christopher and Andy Henry's family has owned the farm for 175 years. Henry family The family farm, which is now leased out for cattle farming, has belonged to Christopher and Andy Henry for over a dozen years. They have poured $200,000 into the property and declined offers of up to $30 million made by developers in that time, reported. While advocating to keep their farm, the Henry brothers have said its proximity to warehouses would not make it a good spot to construct affordable housing and that there are better sites elsewhere. 5 Cranbury is a small town located in Middlesex County. Google Earth 5 The farm is currently leased out for cattle farming. Fox News Their attorney, Timothy Dugan, has also argued the move contradicts the town's work to preserve agricultural land in the area. FOX Business reached out to Cranbury Mayor Lisa Knierim and Dugan for comment. Andy Henry told FOX Business correspondent Jeff Flock that the town's move 'totally shocked us.' Officials have indicated a fair market price would be offered to the Henry family in the event of eminent domain, per 5 Andy Henry told Fox Business that the town's move 'totally shocked us.' Fox News Asked about that, Andy Henry told Flock his family 'don't even want to sell it' but said the town 'would offer us a lot less than a warehouse developer would.' Knierim is seeking an eminent domain takeover of the farm because it would stave off developers pursuing expensive 'builder's remedy lawsuits,' according She has also said no one 'is in favor of eminent domain' or 'wants to see a farm disappear' in the past, reported. 5 US Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins pushed back on the town trying to take the farm. @SecRollins/X Andy Henry told Flock that Rollins 'said she'd make a few calls' when she spoke with him. 'She did acknowledge that this is not a federal issue, but she's trying to help in any way she could,' he said. Cranbury Township is located in north-central New Jersey. The town itself is home to several thousand people, with Middlesex County, the county it falls within, having a larger population of over 890,000.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Family outraged by lawmakers' plans to seize farm they've owned since 1850 to turn it into affordable housing
A New Jersey family is fighting against lawmakers trying to seize the farm they have owned for 175 years to use the land for affordable housing. Andy and Christopher Henry were shocked by a letter that said local officials want to take all 21 acres of their family's historic farmland in Cranbury on April 24. Since receiving the unsettling news that the property - which has been in their family since 1850 - may be torn from them against their will, the Henrys have found themselves in an unbearable back and forth with the Cranbury Township Committee. 'Ever since then, we've been pushing back,' Andy concernedly told Fox News. 'And now they're saying, "Well, actually, we'll just take half of it and leave the house." That would leave us with a non-viable farm for at least 40 cows and many sheep.' The proposal only requires 11.58 acres of the farm, My Central Jersey reported. It consists of 130 apartments across six buildings, as well as a community center and an open space. The attempted seizure of the farm is a part of an affordable housing plan the township committee rolled out, which allows officials to use eminent domain to assume the land. Eminent domain means the government is allowed to take over land without the owner's consent. The committee's decision stems from a state mandate that every town must build more than 146,000 affordable houses by 2035, reported. Andy and his family have refused several developer offers over the years, so the possibility of the land being taken from them anyway is more than disheartening. 'It makes me feel terrible,' Andy told Fox News. 'We just wanted to be left alone and take care of our place like my ancestors did before us.' But the Henrys are not alone in their battle to keep what's theirs - with the Cranbury community and the Trump administration rallying behind them. Signs throughout the quiet town read 'Save Andy's Family Farm 150+ Years No Eminent Domain.' Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has spoken out about the situation, declaring the 'Biden-style government takeover of our family farms is over,' on X Thursday evening. 'I urge the Cranbury, NJ Town Council to REJECT this proposal tonight.' Rollins directly spoke with Andy to show her support last week. 'While this particular case is a city eminent domain issue, we at [US Department of Agriculture] USDA are exploring every legal option to help,' she said in a statement. On Tuesday evening, Andy addressed the Cranbury Planning Board at a meeting, declaring he filed a lawsuit against them. 'Please don't let Cranbury join the ever-growing list of municipalities making these ill-informed and catastrophic decisions,' told the board after citing examples of eminent domain seizures that he also deemed unjust. 'We have filed a complaint with the Superior Court of New Jersey to stop this effort.' A GoFundMe titled 'Save Andy's Family Farm – A 150-Year Legacy at Risk,' has been created by passionate community members and has already raised more than $123,100 for Andy's legal defense. 'If you've ever taken South River Road on your way to the NJ Turnpike, you've passed it—that beautiful, peaceful stretch of farmland where cows graze and sheep roam under open skies. That's Andy's farm,' fundraiser organizer Karen Herr DeRosa wrote. 'Andy turned down every offer to sell. Developers dangled money—even above market value—but Andy said no. The community has been rallying behind Andy and his family as they battle for their land 'Because you don't sell your family's story. You don't bulldoze your roots.' DeRosa claimed the township 'had other options' than to go after the Henry's farm, which she described as 'the oldest, most loved, most recognized land in town.' 'This isn't just a battle for one farm. It's a stand against a system that sees land as dollar signs instead of heritage.' Cranbury Mayor Lisa Knierim previously defended the township's decision to go after the farm. 'Sometimes those decisions affect a smaller group, but it is for the long-term strength of our community,' she said, My Central Jersey reported. 'Sometimes those decisions come with strong emotional reactions as this one is evoking. 'It does not mean that this was an easy decision, but it is one that was done with an extraordinary amount of diligence which is what all of Cranbury deserves.
Fox News
a day ago
- Business
- Fox News
Owner of 175-year-old farm 'shocked' as New Jersey town tries to seize land for affordable housing
A 175-year-old family farm in New Jersey is fighting to stay afloat as its co-owner is speaking out against efforts by the local government to seize the land for affordable Henry discussed his and his brother Christopher's historic farm in Cranbury, New Jersey, and how they are fighting back against the eminent domain initiative during "Fox & Friends.""We got a letter on April 24 informing us of this unfortunate decision that they [Cranbury officials] wanted to take the entire 21 acres," Henry said on Wednesday. "So, of course, ever since then, we've been pushing back. And now they're saying, 'Well, actually, we'll just take half of it and leave the house.' That would leave us with a non-viable farm for at least 40 cows and many sheep." The Cranbury Township Committee announced an affordable housing plan that will allow 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 146,00 affordable housing units by 2035, according to a report. "It makes me feel terrible," Henry said. "It was a shock. We are surrounded by warehouses, been turning down developers for years. We just wanted to be left alone and take care of our place like my ancestors did before us." The Henry family bought the farm in 1850 and have turned down developers for years in an effort to keep the property in the family. "Fox & Friends" co-host Ainsley Earhardt asked Henry what the farm property meant to his family, whose descendants had owned the land since before the Civil War. He remarked that it symbolized much more than just his family, but the entire Cranbury community as a whole. "It's a part of our legacy, and I've said it's part of the town of Cranbury, too," Henry said. "It's a historic farm which helped the town to grow. I mean, you couldn't go to a grocery store then; the farmers were providing the food directly around the town." Cranbury residents have shown strong support for the Henrys. A GoFundMe created to help the family pay for legal costs has raised over $100,000 as of June 26. The case has also attracted the Trump administration's attention. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins took notice of the Henrys' land battle earlier this month, writing in an X post that "the Biden-style government takeover of our family farms is over," and that the USDA is "exploring every legal option" in aiding this particular case and similar ones across the United States.
