IIA 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. J. RES. 41 

Recognizing the contributions of the Christmas tree industry to the United 

States economy and urging the Secretary of Agriculture to establish 

programs to raise awareness of the importance of the Christmas tree 

industry. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2006 

Mrs. DOLE introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the contributions of the Christmas tree industry 

to the United States economy and urging the Secretary 

of Agriculture to establish programs to raise awareness 

of the importance of the Christmas tree industry. 

Whereas Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the 

United States since the 1850s; 

Whereas, by 1900, one in five American families decorated a 

tree during the Christmas season, while, by 1930, a decorated Christmas tree had become a nearly universal part 

of the American Christmas celebration; 

Whereas 32.8 million households in the United States purchased a live-cut Christmas tree in 2005; 


ccoleman on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
2 

•SJ 41 IS 

Whereas the placement and decoration of live-cut Christmas 

trees in town squares across the country have become an 

American tradition; 

Whereas, for generations, American families have traveled 

hundreds and even thousands of miles to celebrate the 

Christmas season together around a live-cut Christmas 

tree; 

Whereas 36 million live-cut Christmas trees are produced 

each year, and 98 percent of these trees are shipped or 

sold directly from Christmas tree farms; 

Whereas North Carolina, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, 

Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Virginia, 

California, and Ohio are the top producers of live-cut 

Christmas tree, but Christmas trees are grown in all 50 

States; 

Whereas there are more than 21,000 growers of Christmas 

trees in the United States, and approximately 100,000 

people are employed in the live-cut Christmas tree industry; 

Whereas many Christmas tree growers grow trees on a parttime basis to supplement their other farm and non-farm 

income; 

Whereas growing Christmas trees provides wildlife habitat; 

Whereas more than a half million acres of land were planted 

in Christmas trees in 2005; 

Whereas 73 million new Christmas trees will be planted in 

2006, and, on average, over 1,500 Christmas trees can 

be planted per acre; and 

Whereas the retail value of all Christmas trees harvested in 

2005 was $1.4 billion: Now, therefore, be it 


ccoleman on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
3 

•SJ 41 IS 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 That Congress— 

4 (1) recognizes the important contributions of 

5 the live-cut Christmas tree industry, Christmas tree 

6 growers, and persons employed in the live-cut 

7 Christmas tree industry to the United States econ8 omy; and 

9 (2) urges the Secretary of Agriculture to estab10 lish programs to raise awareness of the importance 

11 of the live-cut Christmas tree industry. 

Æ 


ccoleman on PROD1PC71 with BILLS