CRANBURY, N.J. — The Trump administration is stepping into a local eminent domain battle in Middlesex County, where a New Jersey farmer is fighting to preserve his 175-year-old family farm from being seized for an affordable housing project.
Andy Henry, owner of Highland Ranch in Cranbury, says local officials have approved plans to take his 21-acre farm on South River Road through eminent domain, citing the development of a new housing complex as justification. The property has been in Henry’s family since 1850.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins addressed the dispute Monday, writing on social media that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is reviewing legal options. “While this particular case is a city eminent domain issue, we @usda are exploring every legal option to help,” Rollins posted.
Legacy farm resists development
Henry, 61, has reportedly rejected multiple purchase offers over the years ranging from $20 million to $30 million, choosing instead to preserve his family’s legacy and operate the land as a working farm. He says his resistance to sell is now being used against him.
“In 1850, Joseph McGill—Andy Henry’s maternal great-grandfather—bought 21 acres of farmland in Cranbury,” the statement reads. “My family sacrificed on this land for 175 years. All the other farms disappeared. We did not. We will not.”
The property stands as one of the last undeveloped tracts along South River Road, an area now dominated by industrial buildings and warehouses. According to Henry, township officials are prioritizing housing mandates over generational stewardship.
Federal scrutiny amid local jurisdiction
Though the eminent domain action was initiated by local government, federal officials say the USDA’s involvement underscores concerns over increasing pressure on family-owned agricultural land. Rollins criticized what she described as a “Biden-style government takeover of our family farms,” despite the issue being under municipal control.
A formal USDA intervention has not been announced, but officials say more details will be released in the coming days regarding possible federal support for landowners in similar circumstances.
The Henry farm case now stands as a flashpoint in the broader national debate over property rights and local housing obligations.
The Trump administration’s move marks a rare federal response to a small-town eminent domain battle involving a historic family farm in central New Jersey.