MDA Encourages Residents to Buy Fresh, Locally-Grown Christmas Trees During Agency Tree Lighting

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance, Deputy Secretary Mary Ellen Setting and other staff members at the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) gathered outside the agency’s Annapolis headquarters today to light a 19-foot, Maryland-grown white pine Christmas tree and encourage citizens to buy real, fresh cut, locally grown Christmas trees, rather than artificial trees or those grown out of state.

“Christmas trees are an agricultural crop. They are grown to be cut, enjoyed and then new ones are planted again,” said Secretary Buddy Hance. “Farms that grow Christmas trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide wildlife habitat. As we celebrate the holiday season, I encourage all Marylanders to buy a real, fresh Christmas tree from a locally owned farm.”

Not only do real trees look and smell beautiful, they are also a renewable, recyclable resource that keep unwanted waste out of our landfills and are good for the environment. Artificial trees are often petroleum based, imported from overseas and do not biodegrade so they eventually end up in landfills forever. Buying locally grown trees, including choose-and-cut trees, supports family owned farms and businesses, preserves farmland, and protects the environment. At the end of the season, trees are recycled a number of ways, such as being chipped into mulch, that return important nutrients to the earth. While growing, Christmas trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases and emit fresh oxygen, unlike artificial trees which are petroleum-based. When growing in open space, a 3-inch diameter Douglas-fir tree can reduce atmospheric carbon by 23 pounds and intercept 102 gallons of storm water runoff per year.

MDA’s Christmas tree – a 19-foot-white pine erected in front of the agency’s headquarters – was donated by Wilma and Bob Muir, owners of Deer Creek Valley Tree Farm in Harford County. The Muirs are also members of the Maryland Christmas Tree Association (MCTA), an association of growers and retailers with about 100 members across the state. This is the fourth consecutive year the Muirs have donated a tree to MDA.

Maryland farmers offer some of the freshest Christmas trees available.  While the Fraser Fir is a popular choice, the Canaan fir is similarly beautiful and grown more easily and in more locations throughout the state. Additional varieties grown in Maryland include:  Douglas fir, Concolor fir, Scotch pine, White pine, and Blue spruce.

“Maryland farmers work year-round to provide customers with high-quality, fresh, fragrant Christmas trees for the holiday season,” said Secretary Hance. “Visiting a local farm to find the perfect Christmas tree is a great family activity and a fun way to spend an afternoon. Many Maryland farms have additional activities as well, such as sleigh rides and visits with Santa.”

According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture for Maryland, there are more than 170 Christmas tree growers in the state with nearly 2,200 acres in production. In Maryland, Carroll County has the greatest number of cut Christmas tree farms with 20. Anne Arundel, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, and Montgomery round out the top six counties for Christmas tree production. There are about 15,000 Christmas tree growers in the U.S., and more than 100,000 people employed full or part time in the industry. Tree planting, shearing and mowing can take up to 65 hours a week, 52 weeks a year.

To find a Christmas tree farm near you, visit www.marylandsbest.net.  For environmental benefits, myths versus facts about Christmas trees, how to care for your farm-grown fresh Christmas tree, or about Christmas tree varieties grown in Maryland, and the MCTA’s Choose and Cut Farm Directory, visit: www.marylandchristmastrees.org. Click here for MDA’s Top 10 Reasons to Buy a Fresh, Locally Grown Christmas Tree.

After Christmas, check with your county about its tree recycling programs. For other recycling tips, see http://www.realchristmastrees.org/dnn/AllAboutTrees/HowtoRecycle.aspx

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