Because of economic and weather conditions spanning back over a decade, Christmas trees are in short supply across the country this year.

It all began in 2008 and the Great Recession.  Farmers in the major tree-growing states (Oregon, Michigan, North Carolina, and Missouri) say that the downturn in the economy caused a lot of farmers to either reduce their crop size or leave the business entirely.  And then unseasonable weather compounded the already bad situation farmers are dealing with when we had years of extreme heat and rainfall over the last 10 years.

So, if you haven't gotten your tree yet this year, be aware that many businesses will have higher prices and fewer trees than usual.  According to an interview that Wood TV 8 did with John Vormittag, of Vormittag Tree Farm, Michigan's shortage won't be as bad as the rest of the nation, but we should still expect a high demand for trees.  He recommends that you come early to purchase your trees this year.

You can find your local tree dealer and more about the industry at the Michigan Christmas Tree Association's website.

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