National Christmas Tree Shortage? Industry Says Yes

If your Christmas tradition is to cut or buy your own real tree at an Indiana shop, a nationwide tree shortage might change your plans.  Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Barbara Brosher reports.

For Jonathan Ada and his wife, cutting down a real Christmas tree every year is about tradition.

“We did this last year and it was just really fun.  So we decided to come back this year.”

They’re among thousands of customers who come to Twin H Tree Farms in Bloomington to select the perfect tree.

President Jeanne Hopwood says while they grow a small number of their own trees every year, they rely on a supplier from Michigan for popular varieties like Frasier and Douglas firs.

“My supplier ran short at the last minute.  Which, kind of caught me off guard.  Because I had not heard of any shortage.  But we were able to get the number of trees we wanted.  Not necessarily the type of trees we wanted.”

The National Christmas Tree Association says a nationwide shortage of trees is a result of the recession.  Demand for trees drastically decreased when the economy tanked and the trees planted in 2007 are just now maturing.