President Obama’s Agriculture Department today announced that it will impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees—the Christmas Tree Tax—to support a new Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.

In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States” (7 CFR 1214.10).

To pay for the new Federal Christmas tree image improvement and marketing program, the Department of Agriculture imposed a 15-cent fee on all sales of fresh Christmas trees by sellers of more than 500 trees per year (7 CFR 1214.52). And, of course, the Christmas tree sellers are free to pass along the 15-cent Federal fee to consumers who buy their Christmas trees.

Sounds like he wants to be the Grinch this year.

I don't know if its really Obama's wish to create a fee for the Christmas tree industry or the Christmas tree producers who want the fee. Government departments are HIGHLY reactive to industry pressures.

Sounds like one of those urban legends. Is there a link to a news story or something?

Here ya go Mac !!! christmas tree tax

Pardon me for doubting. Sounds like some lobbyist for the fresh tree industry earned his salary, commission, 30 pieces of silver or whatever they get these days. Noted however that Fox news went from the 15 cent levy to a 15% levy pretty quick in their text. Like to think this was a mistake and not some more political slight of hand.

Yes there is a .15 cent per tree not a a 15% per tree tax(fee) that is in place and was misreported (?) by Heritage Foundation Vice President David Addington in the -Fox news report.
Really I think that it is a worthwhile tax that helps promote North American products instead of offshore products. It looks like it is going to put Americans back to work and hopefully the country gets its head out of its a$$ and supports North American products made at home and to a high quality. I know that it is a small step for a product that is used but once a year but at least there will be people being employed and the econonmy getting helped back on its feet in a small way. This is the first time I believe (and I could be wrong) that when the US sneezed that Canada didn't come down with the cold. Thus endth my rant,
BYL
Chimo

I once accompanied a buddy on a snowshoe hare hunt in a Christmas tree "Farm". It was some hoot. Once the dogs got in there they had several hares going at the same time. It was much like hunting Jacks in standing corn. Pick a row or two and hope you were fast enough to get a shot off before the bunny disappeared into the next row.

sounds OK why not make it a $1 and be done with it.
and $2 on all artificial /fake trees that should bring in some serious cash.
if its worth doing dont piss around with half measures you only buy 1 a year the cost is less than a ice cream and sounds like its aimed in the right direction not just the slush fund.

Next is a tax to decorate the damn thing...STUPID LIBERALS!

Does not seem to me that imported fresh cut Christmas trees are are real threat to Canadian and U S growers. See below:

"According to U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics, imports of Christmas trees from 2006 through 2008 averaged about 1.9 million trees. During those years, imports from Canada accounted for 99.72 percent of the total imports. Italy, Columbia and Mali comprised about .28 million trees or less than one percent."

And further no tax is a good tax, if anyone thinks that the money collected by this tax will really wind up in any body's pocket other than a politician or a lobbyist, or help with preventing a non-existent import threat, then they drank the Kool-Aid.

Hey, I have a great idea for a new tax, if you want to be a politician then you have to pay a tax, I'll let you know later how much as it will vary greatly on how much I want to waste with all the tax money I already have.

I am not against paying taxes, what I am against is paying too much to a government that does not know when to stop spending.

I'm totally against paying taxes! I'm not gettin fat off the sweat of others and the Govt can stuff it! If we need to occupy about something it's the Federal Govt sticking its shop-vac noses where it dont belong and suckign the life out of our systems and busniesses.

talking about wasting tax payers money...
the dopey pri#%* here are going to spend $100,000 taxpayers dollars to help cull canada geese . now that really gets me pis*%# off. F&G were doing a great job of controlling numbers using our hunting licence fee moneys. we had compatitions to see who could shoot the most with a bennelli shotty amoung the prises. my buddy and 4 others shot 1600 last season yes thats not a typo 1600 geese . the farmers lobbied to get geese taken out of the game bird list so they could control them themselves and now they want a taxpayer handout to do it?????
what makes it worse is the papers saying the numbers werent controlled in the past what a load of ol BS

Amen Lesterg3!