{{Short description|U.S. organization}} The '''Real Christmas Tree 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.<ref name=usda14>"[https://www.ams.usda.gov/?template=TemplateU&navID=LatestReleases&page=Newsroom&topNav=Newsroom&leftNav=&rightNav1=LatestReleases&rightNav2=&resultType=Details&dDocName=STELPRDC5106950&dID=197485&wf=false&description=As%20Required%20by%20New%20Farm%20Bill%2C%20USDA%20to%20Allow%20Christmas%20Tree%20Research%20and%20Promotion%20Program%20to%20Move%20Forward%20 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 19, 2014.</ref> 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.<ref name=fedcode/> 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.<ref name=fr1>"[http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-11-08/pdf/2011-28798.pdf Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order]", ''Federal Register'', Col. 76, No. 216, November 8, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref> The rule was rescinded in 2011 after it attracted criticism and political controversy before becoming law in 2014.<ref name=fr2>"[https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/11/17/2011-29713/christmas-tree-promotion-research-and-information-order-stay-of-regulations Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order; Stay of Regulations]", ([http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-11-17/pdf/2011-29713.pdf pdf]), ''Federal Register'', USDA - Agricultural Marketing Service, November 17, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref><ref name=usatoday>Jackson, David. "[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/11/conservatives-bash-obama-over-christmas-tree-tax/1#.UGOrpI2PXfR Obama team delays Christmas tree fee]", ''USA Today'', November 9, 2011, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref>
The organization renamed from the Christmas Tree Promotion Board to the Real Christmas Tree Board in 2022.<ref>https://realchristmastreeboard.com/press-releases/all-we-wanted-for-christmas-in-july-was-a-new-name/</ref>
==Membership== The board has 12 members, 11 producers and one Christmas tree importer.<ref name=wiag>"[http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-national.php?Id=1198&yr=2014 New Christmas Tree Promotion Board Calls for Nominations]", ''Wisconsin Ag Connection'' via USAgNet, May 29, 2014, accessed November 18, 2014.</ref> 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.<ref name=usda414>"[https://www.ams.usda.gov/?template=TemplateU&navID=&page=Newsroom&resultType=Details&dDocName=STELPRDC5106950&dID=197485&wf=false&description=As%20Required%20by%20New%20Farm%20Bill%2C%20USDA%20to%20Allow%20Christmas%20Tree%20Research%20and%20Promotion%20Program%20to%20Move%20Forward%20&topNav=Newsroom&leftNav=&rightNav1=&rightNav2= 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.</ref> 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.<ref name=usda414/> The terms were assigned in this manner in order to stagger future terms on the board.<ref name=usda414/> Board members after the initial members serve terms of three years.<ref name=fedcode>Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, "[http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=7:10.1.1.1.9&idno=7 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.</ref> 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.<ref name=usda414/> The USDA began seeking nominations to the first iteration of the Christmas Tree Promotion Board in April 2014.<ref name=usda414/>
==Funding== The board is funded through an assessment of $.15 per tree on growers and importers of fresh-cut Christmas trees.<ref name=usda>"[http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FVResearchandPromotionChristmasTrees Christmas Tree Research and Promotion Order] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815075114/http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FVResearchandPromotionChristmasTrees |date=2014-08-15 }}", Research and Promotion Programs, ''United States Department of Agriculture'' - Agricultural Marketing Service, last modified April 25, 2014, accessed November 19, 2014.</ref> 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.<ref name=usda/> Growers and importers that produce or import less than 500 trees are exempted from the fee.<ref name=usda/>
==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.christmastreepromotionboard.org Official site] {{Christmas trees}} Category:Commodity checkoff programs Category:Christmas tree production Category:Christmas organizations