Buy American; buy live

By JOSEPH SHARP

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

A wise person once said, “Self interest is the greatest motivator.” So, though I am not normally xenophobic, I’m compelled to share my concern about foreign-made, artificial Christmas trees.

For more than two decades, my company has grown Christmas trees on 4,000 acres of fertile Willamette Valley soil just southwest of Portland, Oregon. Real Christmas trees sales have declined in recent years, and research indicates the following causes: the quality and price of live trees and the rise in popularity of fake trees.

Competition is fake

Our farms are renowned for high-quality Douglas, Noble and Grand firs and, as a result, our customers have their own happy consumers. Over the past few years, Christmas tree prices have stabilized and although there are competitive prices in certain areas, the toughest competitor to the American-grown is the Chinese-made artificial tree.

At first glance, fake trees seem to be an excellent substitute for real trees, but recent testing proves otherwise. A study at the University of North Carolina reported that one out of four fake trees tested positive for lead which causes brain damage in infants and young children and affects all human organs including kidneys, reproductive organs and the central nervous system. Lead is used in the construction of branches on fake trees, resulting in a light dusting on the floor and on gifts surrounding the tree, which can be ingested by young children.

In the event of even a small house fire, bromide, another key ingredient in flame retardant PVC, forms hydrochloric acid, which can lead to life-threatening lung damage.

They’ll bug you

In addition to poisonous lead, the wood trunks of plastic trees carry exotic pests from overseas, posing a threat to our forests. Last year, shipments from China had to be quarantined and destroyed due to horned pine beetle infestation.

Propaganda from the foreign ministry of China states that live, cut Christmas trees are responsible for deforestation in the United States. In reality, the opposite is true. Christmas trees are grown and harvested like wheat, corn or any other crop. Every time a tree is harvested, another is planted in its place. Many municipalities across the country also use discarded trees to create mulch which is recycled back into the soil after the holiday season.

At Yule Tree Farms, we have known for decades what some retailers and customers are just finding out — there is no shortcut to quality. Picking and purchasing a Christmas tree is one of the few time-honored rituals still carried out by millions of families. There is nothing more American than tradition. We can keep tradition alive by buying American.

X Joe Sharp is president and owner of Yule Tree Farms.