IIA 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. J. RES. 41 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; 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 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

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 economy; and (2)urges the Secretary of Agriculture to establish programs to raise awareness of the importance of the live-cut Christmas tree industry.