Christmas Trees There were 42,000 acres in commercial Christmas tree production in Michigan on January 1, 2005. That was down from 54,000 acres on January 1, 2000. There were 780 commercial growers--operations with at least five acres of Christmas trees. Eleven operations had 500 acres or more, down from 16 five years ago. The top six counties, Missaukee, Oceana, Wexford, Montcalm, Allegan, and Manistee, accounted for 51 percent of the Christmas tree acreage. Thirty-five counties had at least ten Christmas tree farms. Sales of Christmas trees in 2004 had a value of $41.5 million at the producer level. That was up slightly from $41.0 million in 1999. The number of trees sold by growers fell to 2.87 million from 3.18 million in 1999. There were an additional $1.3 million of sales of wreathes, cut boughs, garlands, and other cut greens. There were 9,000 acres of Scotch Pine at the outset of 2005. Its percentage of total acres, however, fell to 21 percent from 35 percent five years earlier. The three other leading species were Douglas Fir with 7,600 acres, down from 10,350 acres; Fraser Fir with 7,600 acres, up from 4,700 acres; and Colorado Blue Spruce with 6,900 acres, down from 9,750 acres. Christmas trees: Acres by Michigan Department of Agriculture region and species, January 1, 2005 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : MDA region : Species :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : Michigan ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fir : Balsam : 1,150 520 250 150 150 60 20 2,300 Canaan : 15 55 85 30 220 45 50 500 Concolor : 20 380 380 75 120 95 30 1,100 Douglas : 290 2,980 3,200 235 560 230 105 7,600 Fraser : 240 3,040 2,370 205 1,240 350 155 7,600 : Pine : Austrian : 5 35 40 25 45 25 25 200 Red : 30 480 30 80 5 20 5 650 Scotch : 180 4,500 2,730 560 560 290 180 9,000 White : 70 590 380 130 100 115 65 1,450 : Spruce : Black Hills : 30 1,670 130 40 15 50 15 1,950 Colorado Blue : 240 3,230 1,490 590 580 480 290 6,900 Norway : 25 400 45 55 40 95 40 700 White : 660 470 105 220 40 140 65 1,700 : Other : 45 150 65 55 25 5 5 350 : Michigan : 3,000 18,500 11,300 2,450 3,700 2,000 1,050 42,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas trees: Acres by species, January 1, 1994-2005 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1994 : 1997 : 2000 : 2005 Species :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Acres :Percent : Acres :Percent : Acres :Percent : Acres :Percent ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fir : Balsam : 1,770 2.4 2,100 3.0 2,250 4.2 2,300 5.5 Canaan 1/ : 100 0.1 250 0.5 500 1.2 Concolor : 590 0.8 750 1.1 900 1.7 1,100 2.6 Douglas : 11,400 15.2 13,600 19.7 10,350 19.2 7,600 18.1 Fraser : 2,080 2.8 4,000 5.8 4,700 8.7 7,600 18.1 : Pine : Austrian : 380 0.5 350 0.5 300 0.6 200 0.5 Red : 390 0.5 250 0.4 450 0.8 650 1.5 Scotch : 38,900 51.9 29,500 42.8 19,000 35.2 9,000 21.4 White : 1,520 2.0 1,300 1.9 1,500 2.8 1,450 3.5 : Spruce : Black Hills 1/: 700 1.0 700 1.3 1,950 4.6 Colorado Blue : 12,900 17.2 12,300 17.8 9,750 18.1 6,900 16.4 Norway : 580 0.8 400 0.6 450 0.8 700 1.7 White : 3,700 4.9 3,200 4.6 3,200 5.9 1,700 4.0 : Other : 790 1.1 450 0.7 200 0.4 350 0.8 : Michigan : 75,000 100.0 69,000 100.0 54,000 100.0 42,000 100.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Included in other species in 1994. Christmas trees: Number of operations and acres, by size group ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Operations : Acres Operation size group :--------------------------------:-------------------------------- : 1997 : 2000 : 2005 : 1997 : 2000 : 2005 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 to 9.9 acres : 155 135 145 1,000 900 950 10 to 24.9 acres : 340 325 315 5,200 5,000 4,750 25 to 49.9 acres : 210 165 160 7,100 5,600 5,400 50 to 99.9 acres : 115 98 90 7,700 6,800 6,000 100 to 499.9 acres : 130 91 59 24,000 16,200 11,400 500 acres or more : 20 16 11 24,000 19,500 13,500 : Michigan : 970 830 780 69,000 54,000 42,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Christmas trees: Sales by species, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Species : Trees : Price per tree : Value of sales -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number Dollars Dollars : Balsam Fir : Wholesale : 100,000 14.0 1,400,000 Retail : 20,000 36.0 720,000 Total : 120,000 17.7 2,120,000 Concolor Fir : Wholesale : 26,000 19.0 495,000 Retail : 8,000 37.0 296,000 Total : 34,000 23.3 791,000 Douglas Fir : Wholesale : 330,000 15.0 4,950,000 Retail : 20,000 38.0 760,000 Total : 350,000 16.3 5,710,000 Fraser Fir : Wholesale : 410,000 22.0 9,020,000 Retail : 35,000 44.0 1,540,000 Total : 445,000 23.7 10,560,000 Scotch Pine : Wholesale : 1,170,000 10.0 11,700,000 Retail : 30,000 23.0 690,000 Total : 1,200,000 10.3 12,390,000 White Pine : Wholesale : 85,000 11.0 935,000 Retail : 7,000 25.0 175,000 Total : 92,000 12.1 1,110,000 Black Hills Spruce : Wholesale : 94,000 15.0 1,410,000 Retail : 6,000 34.0 204,000 Total : 100,000 16.1 1,614,000 Colorado Blue Spruce: Wholesale : 350,000 11.0 3,850,000 Retail : 40,000 30.0 1,200,000 Total : 390,000 12.9 5,050,000 White Spruce : Wholesale : 100,000 11.0 1,100,000 Retail : 15,000 29.0 435,000 Total : 115,000 13.3 1,535,000 Other : Wholesale : 15,000 17.0 255,000 Retail : 9,000 35.0 315,000 Total : 24,000 23.8 570,000 : Michigan : Wholesale : 2,680,000 13.1 35,115,000 Retail 1/ : 190,000 33.3 6,335,000 Total : 2,870,000 14.4 41,450,000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes 100,000 trees sold retail-cut and 90,000 trees sold choose and cut. Christmas trees: Sales by destination, 2004 --------------------------------------------- Destination : Trees sold --------------------------------------------- Michigan : 580,000 Other states : 2,270,000 Out of United States: 20,000 : Total : 28,700,000 --------------------------------------------- Christmas trees: Number of operations and acres, by county and Michigan Department of Agriculture region ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Operations : Acres County and :--------------------------------:-------------------------------- MDA region : 1997 : 2000 : 2005 : 1997 : 2000 : 2005 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chippewa : 6 4 8 270 170 150 Delta : 17 15 14 800 820 670 Dickinson : 14 9 6 500 240 120 Luce : 5 3 160 110 Marquette : 3 4 4 130 100 60 Menominee : 31 36 35 1,600 1,800 1,400 Other counties 1/ : 9 9 13 740 760 600 Region 1 : 85 80 80 4,200 4,000 3,000 : Alcona : 8 5 7 360 280 350 Alpena : 8 8 8 350 200 150 Antrim : 16 17 16 2,000 1,200 1,050 Benzie : 12 12 6 630 600 250 Cheboygan : 21 18 15 1,100 1,000 750 Emmett : 9 6 5 180 130 120 Grand Traverse : 18 16 13 1,550 1,100 550 Kalkaska : 35 27 15 5,100 3,300 1,650 Leelanau : 17 13 13 520 370 380 Manistee : 24 27 25 2,700 2,600 1,900 Missaukee : 53 40 48 7,500 6,500 7,200 Otsego : 9 5 4 220 60 90 Presque Isle : 5 7 4 210 210 170 Wexford : 47 41 36 8,500 7,300 3,800 Other counties 1/ : 3 3 5 80 50 90 Region 2 : 285 245 220 31,000 24,900 18,500 : Kent : 11 8 9 800 570 370 Lake : 7 6 6 700 530 250 Mason : 13 15 14 800 850 650 Mecosta : 20 6 10 1,400 650 350 Montcalm : 24 25 22 4,500 3,400 2,600 Muskegon : 13 12 11 450 350 220 Newaygo : 24 14 14 2,300 1,400 1,200 Oceana : 74 55 40 6,000 4,500 4,000 Ottawa : 25 16 12 1,100 450 310 Other counties 1/ : 29 28 22 3,450 2,700 1,350 Region 3 : 240 185 160 21,500 15,400 11,300 : Arenac : 4 7 5 230 160 110 Clare : 7 3 4 300 120 80 Genesee : 11 12 11 180 200 170 Gladwin : 4 4 5 130 130 140 Iosco : 8 7 200 110 Isabella : 23 14 12 750 400 430 Lapeer : 12 11 10 250 200 250 Midland : 4 5 9 160 150 190 Saginaw : 15 14 12 380 350 340 Sanilac : 8 6 6 360 360 350 Tuscola : 12 9 6 600 260 190 Other counties 1/ : 12 8 15 260 260 200 Region 4 : 120 100 95 3,800 2,700 2,450 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See footnote(s) at end of table. Christmas trees: Number of operations and acres, by county and Michigan Department of Agriculture region (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Operations : Acres County and :--------------------------------:-------------------------------- MDA region : 1997 : 2000 : 2005 : 1997 : 2000 : 2005 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Allegan : 21 29 21 2,900 2,500 1,900 Berrien : 19 14 14 300 170 180 Calhoun : 10 13 12 290 220 200 Cass : 6 4 7 160 100 260 Kalamazoo : 10 9 7 280 210 130 Van Buren : 16 17 12 700 750 800 Other counties 1/ : 13 4 12 270 100 230 Region 5 : 95 90 85 4,900 4,050 3,700 : Clinton : 12 8 13 280 160 240 Eaton : 14 15 14 240 270 260 Hillsdale : 8 6 5 270 250 190 Ingham : 13 13 14 280 310 340 Jackson : 18 19 16 500 370 360 Livingston : 15 13 11 310 290 210 Shiawassee : 5 3 4 130 50 100 Washtenaw : 10 10 11 350 250 250 Other counties 1/ : 5 5 3 90 50 50 Region 6 : 100 92 91 2,450 2,000 2,000 : Monroe : 6 5 11 140 130 210 Oakland : 16 15 16 310 270 320 St. Clair : 9 9 14 380 410 390 Other counties 1/ : 14 9 8 320 140 130 Region 7 : 45 38 49 1,150 950 1,050 : Michigan : 970 830 780 69,000 54,000 42,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Not published separately to avoid disclosure of individual operators. Christmas trees: Operations by type of sales, 2004 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Type of Sales :Operations : Percent ---------------------------------------------------------------- Wholesale only : 165 21.2 Wholesale and retail-cut : 55 7.1 Wholesale and choose & cut : 35 4.5 Wholesale, retail-cut, and choose & cut : 30 3.8 Retail-cut only : 65 8.3 Retail-cut and choose & cut : 35 4.5 Choose & cut only : 195 25.0 No sales : 200 25.6 : Total : 780 100 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas trees: Plans for operation in the next 10 years ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Plan : Percent ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue current operation : 72 Turn over operation to a relative : 5 Discontinue sales but keep ownership of acreage : 18 Sell the acreage to another grower : 1 Sell the acreage for non-agricultural use : 2 Other : 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas trees: Growers reporting that insect control issues affect their business significantly, by type of operation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Type of operation 1/ :------------------------------------------------------- Insect control issues : Wholesale : Retail-cut :Choose & cut : All 2/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Do not affect business : 25 39 54 47 Do affect business : 75 61 46 53 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Significant insect control issues for growers : responding "Do affect business" (total may : exceed 100 percent) : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gypsy moth certification : 64 41 20 46 Availability of effective insecticides on market : 64 44 66 58 Uniformity of MDA field inspections : 21 10 18 16 Federal quarantines in other states : 35 15 3 20 Other : 12 15 24 18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Defined by channel through which majority of trees were sold. 2/ Includes operations not categorized because they had no sales. Christmas trees: Sources of management information --------------------------------------------------------------- Sources :First choice:Second choice --------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Michigan State University : 21 18 Other Universities : 0 1 Community College : 0 0 Extension Service (AOE) : 21 14 Other Christmas Tree Professionals : 19 16 Commercial Technical Reps : 1 2 Private Consultant : 2 2 Michigan Christmas Tree Association : 18 11 Other Professional Association : 1 2 Other : 4 2 None chosen : 13 32 --------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas trees: Agri-tourism attractions at the 9 percent of operations with such activities ------------------------------------------------- Attraction : Percent ------------------------------------------------- Roadside stand : 13 Petting zoo/Reindeer : 19 Food and beverages : 0 U-pick pumpkins : 10 Corn maze : 2 Wagon, sleigh, or train rides : 60 Gift shop : 40 Other : 13 ------------------------------------------------- Survey Methods and Questionnaires The Nursery Grower survey was sent to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office list of nurseries and herbaceous ornamental growers. This list was supplemented by the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) list of licensed nursery growers and plant growers. To qualify, an operation had to have grown at least 0.1 acre of woody ornamentals or herbaceous perennials in 2004 and have planned to sell them either retail or wholesale. There were 1,235 such places. The principal Christmas tree list was the NASS List Sampling Frame. Additional names were provided by the Michigan Christmas Tree Association. To qualify, an operation had to have grown at least 5 acres of trees for sale as Christmas trees. There were 780 operations that met the criteria for Christmas tree farms. The data were collected on the attached Nursery Grower and Christmas Tree questionnaires. These forms were developed with input from industry representatives. Questionnaires were mailed in late December, 2004, with cover letters from the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association and the Michigan Christmas Tree Association. Two weeks later, those who had not responded were sent a second questionnaire. Telephoning of non-respondents began the last week of January 2005. This was followed by personal enumeration of operators who could not be reached by phone. The following table is a summary of responses: Nurseries and Christmas Trees: Response Summary, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------- Response Category : Nurseries : Christmas Trees -------------------------------------------------------- Mail : 490 310 Telephone : 465 290 Personal Interview : 65 25 Refusal : 130 105 Inaccessible : 85 50 : Total : 1,235 780 -------------------------------------------------------- For plant material grown in containers, both the number of containers and the acres used for growing were asked. When respondents provided only the number of containers, the acres were estimated based on the average containers per acre from respondents who gave both. Estimates of total acres were made for refusals and inaccessibles. Expansion factors were computed for each of the seven MDA regions for both surveys: (Ac. on Usable Reports+Estimated Ac.)/(Ac. on Usable Reports). These expansion factors were applied to data to account for missing reports. Some respondents provided acreage but refused to provide income data. Regression and ratio estimators were used to expand missing income data on the Nursery and Christmas Tree surveys, respectively.