AMS No. 207-10

Jimmie Turner (202) 720-8998

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2010 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking comments on a proposal for a new national Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order.

A board representing a cross section of the industry would administer the proposed order and carry out activities intended to strengthen the position of fresh-cut Christmas trees in the marketplace and maintain and expand markets for the trees within the United States.

Domestic producers and importers of Christmas trees would pay an assessment of up to 20 cents per tree produced or imported, with the initial assessment rate being 15 cents per tree. Smaller producers and importers handling less than 500 Christmas trees would be exempt from paying assessments.

The proposed rule was published in the Nov. 8, 2010, Federal Register. Comments must be received by Feb. 7, 2011, and should be mailed in triplicate to the Research and Promotion Branch, AMS, USDA, Stop 0244, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0244. Comments can also be e-mailed to www.regulations.gov.

Copies of the proposed rule and any comments that are received may be requested from the same address or viewed at http://www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion or www.regulations.gov.

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