MEDIA STORY IDEAS

Greetings from the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), a trade association representing people in the Real Christmas Tree industry. This year consumers will purchase 30 - 35 million Real Christmas Trees as part of a $1.4 billion industry in the U.S. With the 2007 holiday season upon us, we can provide the following story/segment/interview ideas about Real Christmas Trees.

1. On Oct. 16, 2007, the White House Chief Usher will select this year's Blue Room Christmas Tree at the farm of the 2007 NCTA Grand Champions. And on Nov. 26, 2007 (date subject to change), the Freeman family will present the official White House Christmas Tree to the First Lady. If you would like to schedule interviews with the Grand Champions, call the NCTA media hotline.
2. Consumers can quickly, easily and conveniently learn how, when and where to recycle their Real Christmas Tree after the Holidays thanks to a partnership between the NCTA and EARTH 911. Consumers can access local Christmas Tree recycling information by typing in their zip code at NCTA’s website www.realchristmastrees.org or they can call 1-800-CLEANUP.
3. Keeping a Real Christmas Tree fresh is fairly simple if consumers learn to separate proper tree care information from the many wives tales that are so popular. Every year, NCTA answers hundreds of questions about how to care for a Real Christmas Tree. Misinformation about proper tree care can reduce the enjoyment of a Real Christmas Tree. Unfortunately, many well-intended, but poorly informed sources spread ineffective home remedies that have no scientific basis. NCTA Spokespersons can go through the simple steps recommended by the association with your viewers, listeners or readers.
4. Some consumers are looking for a more convenient way to enjoy a fresh Real Tree during the holiday season. Christmas Tree professionals are responding by providing services that offer alternatives to the traditional way of buying a Real Tree. Real Trees can be purchased by catalog or online at grower Web sites, and delivered direct to the consumer. Other convenience services include baling trees (making transporting and bringing into the home easier), shaking trees, and drilling the stumps to make it more stable in certain kinds of tree stands.
5. Christmas Trees, too, are caught in the fast-pace of technological and scientific advances: from genetic engineering of seed stock to production improvement and cloning. We can help you interview experts in forestry, research and nursery management.
6. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, the charitable branch of the National Christmas Tree Association, will be sponsoring a “Trees for Troops” program in cooperation with FedEx Corp. for the 2007 holiday season. Growers across the nation will be donating more than 10,000 Christmas Trees for distribution on U.S. military bases and overseas in hopes of bringing a little Christmas spirit to families whose loved ones are away from home. This year, consumers have the opportunity to get involved by purchasing trees or making donations at selected retail lots and Choose & Cut farms.