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November 9, 2011 in Business
Tax will help fund Christmas tree ads
Program will promote merits of real over fake
WASHINGTON – The Christmas tree ad wars are about to heat up, albeit in a rather jolly way.
Following an extended debate that pit one region against another, the Agriculture Department on Tuesday gave the green light to a new industry-funded Christmas tree promotion program.
By taxing themselves, growers will raise $2 million a year for ads promoting the merits of real, live trees. Or, at least, trees that once were living, as opposed to the artificial kind that have seized an increasing share of the holiday market.
“As demographics and buying habits have changed we have watched the market for real trees shrink drastically, requiring us to spend much more time and money on promotion,” said Don Cameron, past president of the California Christmas Tree Association.
Akin to similar programs that promote milk, beef and cotton, the new Christmas tree program will impose on U.S. domestic producers and importers an initial fee of 15 cents per tree.
A 12-member board will direct the money to generic ads and other promotions, as well as research. The promotions, according to the Agriculture Department, will present “a favorable image of Christmas trees to the general public,” with the intent of improving the public “perception” of Christmas trees and, hence, their sales.
“We have good reason to believe it will be successful for our industry,” Betty Malone, an Oregon tree farmer and president of Christmas Tree Promotion Now, said Tuesday. “We looked at what other industries have done, and how successful they’ve been.”
After three years, growers and importers will vote on whether to continue the program.
Seven firms or nonprofits win Agora Awards 
ManleyPointer on November 09 at 9:56 a.m.
Unbelievable government overreaching!!! Sure it’s a small thing in some ways, but it’s also a compelling example of the attitude of the current administration and a reflection of their willingness to meddle in the smallest details of national life.
ItsGoingToTakeARevolution on November 09 at 11:32 a.m.
@ no_bs - Why should it offend or affect Muslims and atheists in any way? Do you think they’re going to be out buying Christmas trees? No, this isn’t a tax to promote a religious holiday or artifact. It’s a way to screw a generous portion of the American public out of more money, and it’s not going to stop here.
@ ManleyPointer - It’s not going to stop ever until Americans en masse put their feet down and say “Enough… I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” It’s not the government’s job to ‘improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees’, nor is it any of their business. Is this honestly what we pay our leaders for, to worry about the image of fresh cut Christmas trees?
greenlibertarian on November 09 at 1:29 p.m.
It’s not a tax, you ignoramuses.
The INDUSTRY is agreeing to pool funds together (a WHOPPING 15 cents a tree) to create a marketing campaign as to the benefits of having a naturally grown Christmas tree.
They’ve been working on this proposal since at least back to 2008.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Christmas Tree Study Launched
Christmas Tree Growers and retailers attending the CT PLUS Conference in San Francisco in February participated in a Town Hall session discussing the pros and cons of Marketing Orders (Check-off programs) and whether or not one might be beneficial for the Christmas Tree industry.
Attendees agreed that the idea is worth further consideration and asked the Board of the National Christmas Tree Association to appoint a task force to gather additional information about the options and create a draft of what such an order might look like prior to NCTA’s National Convention in Des Moines, Iowa in August. Attendees at the National Convention will then look at the Draft Document, debate the elements and propose changes.
Growers also urged the board to create periodic updates on the progress of the task force. This blog is designed to deliver those updates, and also serve as a resource for anyone interested in the topic.
http://checkoffstudy.blogspot.com/2008/02/christmas-tree-study-launched.html
Now a bunch of shrieking dolts in the media are portraying this as something the government or even Obama himself came up with.
And now USDA is looking at delaying any implementation of this BECAUSE OF A BUNCH OF FALSE NEWS REPORTING.
BTW small growers (<500 trees) were exempted.
And let’s say the 15 cents was passed on to consumers, that would amount to less than one half of 1% of the average tree price.
You people get all up in arms about the DUMBEST things.
WHS on November 09 at 3:45 p.m.
greenlib, it won’t matter… The idiocracy will find anything they can to scream about and when they can’t, they will just make stuff up. Typical, but I will guarantee you, no matter how much proof you provide, the idiocracy will still bleet like the pack of ill educated sheep they are. God I wish they would atleast educate themselves a little before they open there mouths…
Thanks for posting the information by the way!
WHS
greenlibertarian on November 09 at 10:15 p.m.
War on Christmas faux battle #1.
WHS on November 10 at 6:53 a.m.
No no no greenlib, it is War on Christmas faux battle #2! Remember, it’s not Christmas anymore remember, were all Liberals, therefore it is XMas! Sheesh, I thought you of all people would remember that.
WHS
p.s. - for all you radical right wing teabagger conservative republicans, just to be clear, the message above was made in jest.