The Christmas Tree Promotion Board is a U.S. organization established by federal law through a
commodity checkoff program. The board was created when the
Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order was signed into law as part of the
2014 U.S. Farm Bill.
History
The Christmas Tree Promotion Board was officially established by law when the
Agricultural Act of 2014
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (; , also known as the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill), formerly the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, is an act of Congress that authorizes nutrition and agriculture programs in the United States for t ...
was signed by President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
on February 7, 2014.
[As Required by New Farm Bill, USDA to Allow Christmas Tree Research and Promotion Program to Move Forward]
", press release, ''United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
'', Agricultural Marketing Service, April 4, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014. The board is part of the Christmas tree checkoff program established by a provision of Agricultural Act of 2014 known as the Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order.
[ The Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order is a ]U.S. Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...
rule that was originally published in November 2011 and established a commodity checkoff program to help U.S. Christmas tree growers.[Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order]
, '' Federal Register'', Col. 76, No. 216, November 8, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014. The rule was rescinded in 2011 after it attracted criticism and political controversy before becoming law in 2014.[Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Stay of Regulations]
,
pdf
, '' Federal Register'', USDA - Agricultural Marketing Service, November 17, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.[Jackson, David.]
Obama team delays Christmas tree fee
, ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
, November 9, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.
Membership
The board has 12 members, 11 producers and one Christmas tree importer.[New Christmas Tree Promotion Board Calls for Nominations]
, ''Wisconsin Ag Connection'' via USAgNet, May 29, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014. The producers are from different tree-producing geographic regions of the United States; five members are from the western region, two from the central region, and four from the eastern region.[As Required by New Farm Bill, USDA to Allow Christmas Tree Research and Promotion Program to Move Forward]
, press release, ''United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
'', Agricultural Marketing Service
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture; it maintains programs in five commodity areas: cotton and tobacco; dairy; fruit and vegetable; livestock and seed; and poultry. These program ...
, April 4, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014. When the board was established initial members were appointed for terms of two, three or four years upon approval by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.[ The terms were assigned in this manner in order to stagger future terms on the board.][ Board members after the initial members serve terms of three years.][Electronic Code of Federal Regulations,]
Title 7, Subtitle B, Chapter XI, Part 1214 - Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order
, ''U.S. Government Printing Office
The United States Government Publishing Office (USGPO or GPO; formerly the United States Government Printing Office) is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States Federal government. The office produces and distributes information ...
'', website current as of November 14, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014. In order to qualify for membership on the Christmas Tree Promotion Board producers and importers must have cut and sold 500 or more trees per year.[ The USDA began seeking nominations to the first iteration of the Christmas Tree Promotion Board in April 2014.][
]
Funding
The board is funded through an assessment of $.15 per tree on growers and importers of fresh-cut Christmas trees.[Christmas Tree Research and Promotion Order]
", Research and Promotion Programs, ''United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
'' - Agricultural Marketing Service, last modified April 25, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014. Though the assessment amount can be increased it cannot exceed $.20 per tree and it can never be raised more than $.02 during a fiscal year.[ Growers and importers that produce or import less than 500 trees are exempted from the fee.][
]
References
External links
Official site
{{Christmas trees
Commodity checkoff programs
Christmas tree production
Christmas organizations