By Omar Villafranca, Correspondent
Manton, Michigan — At Dutchman Tree Farms in northern Michigan, workers are racing to meet demand as the holidays approach. More than 1,500 people cut, bind and stack rows of pines on the 9,000-acre family property; this season the farm expects to ship over 500,000 real Christmas trees.
Scott Powell, who helps run the operation, said the farm wants customers to bring home “a real, North American-grown Christmas tree” — a product he notes is tariff-free and produced by local families. While Dutchman Tree Farms has not raised its prices this year, Powell said imported artificial trees have become costlier for consumers because of new U.S. tariffs.
Most fake trees sold in the U.S. are manufactured in Asia and were hit by duties introduced earlier this year. Chris Butler, CEO of the National Tree Company, said those tariffs effectively increased from zero to roughly 20%–30%, depending on the country of origin, and that some of that added cost has been passed on to buyers. Butler estimates the price of a typical $100 artificial tree rose about $10 to $15.
Butler also said his company is lobbying for relief, pointing out that the president recently exempted a list of imported foodstuffs — including bananas, coffee, mangoes, avocados, cocoa and certain spices — from the tariffs. “Our raw materials aren’t available in the U.S.,” he said, arguing artificial trees should be treated similarly to those exempted products.
Despite the price changes, Butler said roughly 85% of Americans still opt for artificial trees. But for many families, the decision is sentimental as well as financial.
The Pena family, for example, travels to Dutchman Tree Farms each year. This season they selected an 8-foot Fraser pine. “The smell brings back memories from when I was a kid,” David Pena said. “I want to give that experience to my family.”
Powell said growers are counting on that sensory pull. “People aren’t just buying a tree — they’re buying the smell and the joy of bringing a real tree into their home,” he said.