IA 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. J. RES. 96 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 19, 2006 
Ms. FOXX introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture 
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 deco-
rated Christmas tree had become a nearly universal part 
of the American Christmas celebration; 
Whereas 32.8 million households in the United States pur-
chased a live-cut Christmas tree in 2005; 
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•HJ 96 IH 
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 indus-
try; 
Whereas many Christmas tree growers grow trees on a part- 
time 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 
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•HJ 96 IH 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
That Congress— 
(1) recognizes the important contributions of 
the live-cut Christmas tree industry, Christmas tree 
growers, and persons employed in the live-cut 
Christmas tree industry to the United States econ-
omy; and 
(2) urges the Secretary of Agriculture to estab-
lish programs to raise awareness of the importance 
of the live-cut Christmas tree industry. 
Æ 
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