Sustainability program turns Christmas trees even greener

OSU Extension helps Christmas Tree industry sustain land, water, and profits

Christmas trees became a little bit greener in 2011 with a new sustainability program that the Oregon State University Extension Service helped develop.

Oregon is the nation’s top producer of Christmas trees, garnering $91 million in sales in 2010. Trees from certified farms have met standards for protecting land, water, wildlife and the people who work on the farm. The trees bear a tag identifying their origin as a Socially and Environmentally Responsible Farm (SERF).

To be certified, a farm must develop a plan for all it operations addressing five areas of social and environmental health: biodiversity, soil and water resources, integrated pest management, worker health and safety, and consumer and community relations.

OSU Extension provides training and support to growers in developing their sustainability plans. The Oregon Department of Agriculture conducts independent inspections of the farm, and the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Growers Association provides the final certification approval.

Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service