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US Christmas tree growers urge tougher tariffs on Chinese artificial trees
Growers say lowering additional tariffs on Chinese artificial trees would hurt family farms that have already faced below cost imports for two decades.
As the United States and China work to stabilize ties through a newly proposed bilateral trade mechanism, American Christmas tree growers are pushing back on plans that could reduce tariff rates on Chinese-made artificial trees, according to SCMP Economy.
Dozens of growers submitted comments to the Office of the US Trade Representative, urging officials not to treat artificial Christmas trees as “non sensitive” products that would qualify for lower tariffs.
The National Christmas Tree Association president Scott Powell said lowering the additional tariffs currently applied to Chinese artificial trees would re expose tens of thousands of family farms to below cost import pricing that has eroded their market over the past two decades.
Powell, a second generation farmer in Michigan, argued the tariff approach matters because it affects whether growers can compete against imported artificial trees priced below cost.