Skip to main content

Christmas tree farmers: Fee puts us out on a limb

By WTOP Staff

The Obama administration’s decision to delay a 15-cent fee on Christmas trees had local growers celebrating the season.

Announced Monday, the measure was criticized as a tax on Christmas, and on Wednesday, the government decided to revisit the proposal later, The Associated Press reported.

The fee had been requested by the National Christmas Tree Association and was expected to raise $2 million for promotional programs to benefit the live-tree industry. It was meant to mirror other federal programs to market milk, beef and cotton, according to the association.

But an additional 15 cents per tree is a burden local growers can’t afford, said Lisa Gaver, co-owner of Gaver Tree Farm in Mount Airy.

“We are not for the 15-cent-per-tree assessment, fee or tax — whatever you want to label it,” Gaver said. “It still is money to be paid out of our pockets. As growers that affects our bottom line.”

On Wednesday, White House spokesman Matt Lehrich said the U.S. Department of Agriculture would delay the program, but defended it, saying it was not a tax.

“I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama administration is not taxing Christmas trees,” Lehrich said. “What’s being talked about here is an industry group deciding to impose fees on itself to fund a promotional campaign.”

On Thursday, the National Christmas Tree Association issued a statement, saying the program has gone through two industrywide comment periods during which 565 comments were submitted from interested parties.

“More than 70 percent of the growers posting comments, and nearly 90 percent of the state and multi-state associations that posted comments indicated that they were in favor of the program,” the association stated. “The program is designed to benefit the industry and will be funded by the growers at a rate of 15 cents per tree sold.”

The Christmas tree industry is facing stiff competition from artificial trees and “a steady, reliable marketing effort is needed to take back our market share,” said Joncie Underwood, Maryland’s National Christmas Tree Association director and a tree grower from Cecil County, in a statement Friday.

“We may be selling all the trees we want today, but it’s not going to keep up,” Underwood said. Consistent funding is needed to tell the real tree story, she said.

Union Bridge tree farmer Michael J. Ryan is unconvinced.

Local growers are doing their fair share promoting natural Christmas trees, said Ryan, owner and operator of Clemsonville Christmas Tree Farm.

“I don’t support the tax because we’re already doing as much promotion as we possibly can,” Ryan said. “We spend quite a bit of our own money promoting trees. I don’t think the tax is necessary.”

Gaver said local farmers work hard to offer a top-quality product.

“Real trees are the better choice for the environment and our economy, and we always spend our advertising dollars carefully. To be told that we have to fund a national program will take dollars away from the local economy,” Gaver said.

Copyright 2011 The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote