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 was signed by President Barack Obama on February 7, 2014.[1] 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.[2] The Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order is a U.S. Department of Agriculture rule that was originally published in November 2011 and established a commodity checkoff program to help U.S. Christmas tree growers.[3] The rule was rescinded in 2011 after it attracted criticism and political controversy before becoming law in 2014.[4][5]

Membership

The board has 12 members, 11 producers and one Christmas tree importer.[6] 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.[7] 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.[7] The terms were assigned in this manner in order to stagger future terms on the board.[7] Board members after the initial members serve terms of three years.[2] 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.[7] The USDA began seeking nominations to the first iteration of the Christmas Tree Promotion Board in April 2014.[7]

Funding

The board is funded through an assessment of $.15 per tree on growers and importers of fresh-cut Christmas trees.[8] 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.[8] Growers and importers that produce or import less than 500 trees are exempted from the fee.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "As Required by New Farm Bill, USDA to Allow Christmas Tree Research and Promotion Program to Move Forward Archived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine", press release, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, April 4, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014.
  2. 1 2 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, website current as of November 14, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order", Federal Register, Col. 76, No. 216, November 8, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Stay of Regulations", (pdf), Federal Register, USDA - Agricultural Marketing Service, November 17, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.
  5. ↑ Jackson, David. "Obama team delays Christmas tree fee", USA Today, November 9, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.
  6. ↑ "New Christmas Tree Promotion Board Calls for Nominations", Wisconsin Ag Connection via USAgNet, May 29, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "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, Agricultural Marketing Service, April 4, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 "Christmas Tree Research and Promotion Order Archived 2014-08-15 at the Wayback Machine", Research and Promotion Programs, United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Marketing Service, last modified April 25, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014.
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