Why tariffs might make real Christmas trees more attractive this holiday season

Manton, Michigan — At Dutchman Tree Farms in northern Michigan, it’s all hands on deck as Americans prepare to deck the halls. 

More than 1,500 workers cut and wrap row after row of pines. This year, they’ll ship out over 500,000 real Christmas trees.

Scott Powell helps run the over 9,000-acre family farm. 

“Our desire is for folks to put a real live North American-grown Christmas tree in their home,” Powell told CBS News. “Tariff-free, that’s grown by families.” 

While Powell’s tree prices haven’t gone up, the price of imported plastic trees is up. The majority of those are made in Asia and subject to tariffs introduced by President Trump earlier this year.

Chris Butler, CEO of the National Tree Company — a company that sells artificial Christmas trees and other holiday-themed products — says tariffs on those items “basically went from zero” to between 20% and 30%, “depending on the country of origin.”

Butler said his company has had to pass along some costs to consumers. He estimated that 85% of Americans still choose artificial Christmas trees over real ones, and said he’s actively lobbying lawmakers to push for tariff relief. He says the price of an approximately $100 artificial tree has risen about $10 to $15 due to tariffs. 

“We want to be treated the same as bananas, coffee, mangoes, etc.,” Butler said, in reference to an executive order signed by Mr. Trump earlier this month that exempts products including beef, coffee, tea, bananas, mangoes, avocados, cocoa and certain spices from the new tariffs. “Those things are not grown in the U.S. We know that those are now being exempted. Our raw materials are not available in the U.S. And so we think we should be treated in the same way.”

Meanwhile, for the Pena family, it’s tradition that drove them to handpick an 8-foot-tall Fraser pine at Dutchman Tree Farms as their Christmas tree.

“The smell triggers those memories growing up, and I just want to provide that for my family,” David Pena said. 

It’s a scent that farmers like Powell are banking on to boost sales.

“It’s the smell and the joy of bringing that real tree into their home,” Powell said. “That’s what we’re really selling.”