“When the farm was first targeted by Democrats on Cranbury’s town committee to make way for an affordable housing project, it was Republicans who stood up to defend the Henry family. Former Cranbury Mayor Jay Taylor, gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, Assembly candidates Joe Stillwell and Marty Flynn, the Trump administration and I relentlessly fought to save the farm from seizure for ridiculous over-development mandates,” Sauickie (R-Ocean) said. “Now Gov. Murphy wants to speak on the subject but the truth is that his administration’s policies are the reason the farm was ever in jeopardy.”
The 21-acre farm is owned by brothers Andy and Christopher Henry, both military veterans in their 70s. Their family has owned the land since 1850, and today it remains a fully functioning cattle farm.
Despite the farm’s historical and agricultural significance, the Cranbury Township Committee sought to take the land under eminent domain to satisfy state-mandated affordable housing obligations.
“We don’t take farmland from veterans to satisfy over-development mandates. This farm has supported New Jersey families for 175 years,” Sauickie said.
In June, Sauickie introduced a bill (A5884) prohibiting the use of eminent domain to take any active farmland in New Jersey for any purpose. He also introduced a resolution (AR197) calling on the state Legislature to formally condemn the proposed seizure of the Henry farm and urging the Cranbury Township Committee to pursue an alternative solution.
During an Assembly voting session this year, Sauickie attempted to include language saving the farm in Democrat-backed legislation (A2390) that incentivizes towns to meet housing mandates. It was voted down by Democrats.
“The Henry farm represents everything New Jersey should be preserving – history, service, food, and community,” Sauickie said. “My Republican colleagues and I will always fight for what is right, open space, and the preservation of a farm to keep the garden in the Garden State. The same cannot be said of Democrats, whose actions have spoken louder than a misleading statement by Murphy. Thankfully, in this case, we won.”
