NEWS & UPDATES June 1, 2026  RealChristmasTreeBoard.orgRealChristmasTreeBoard.comRCTB Referendum Ballots Must Be Postmarked No Later Than June 2A reminder that per USDA order, a RCTB continuance referendum vote must be conducted every seven years. Electronic ballots must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on June 2, 2026 and mail ballots must be postmarked by June 2, 2026 to be counted. Any eligible domestic producer or importer who did not receive a ballot should contact USDA Marketing Specialist George Webster at 202.365.4172 or 202.720.8085 or at George.Webster@usda.gov.To be eligible to vote, domestic producers or importers must have domestically produced or imported more than 500 Christmas trees between September 1, 2025 – March 15, 2026. Arbor Day Virtual Field TripRCTB hosted its second annual Arbor Day Virtual Farm Trip with more than 2,083 students attending the live event. Another 309 YouTube views — which can consist of individuals or classrooms — have been garnered since the live event was hosted in April. Following the event, attendees responded to a survey about the virtual field trip. In particular, respondents noted that students enjoyed “meeting the farmers and seeing the different growing stages of the Christmas trees” and appreciated how the trip presented a real life experience that easily tied into Arbor Day and learning standards. RCTB Research FAQsHow much has the RCTB spent on research and who selects the projects?Since 2016, the RCTB has invested more than $2.4 million in Christmas tree research. The Research Committee, made up of Christmas tree growers from all different regions, reviews, evaluates and scores all proposals then makes funding recommendations to the Board. The board understands that not all projects are relevant to all growers, however the board funds a wide variety of projects each year, ensuring all growers can benefit. How do I find out what projects are funded and how do I see the results?All selected research projects are required to submit a final report before receiving final funding payments. These reports can be viewed at: https://www.realchristmastreeboard.org/research-library/ Many RCTB funded researchers also present their findings at state and regional Christmas tree meetings, in industry journals and in RCTB’s Webinar Series. How do I tell the RCTB what research I think they should fund?RCTB seeks recommendations for research topics from growers. You will find a link to a survey form here: https://www.realchristmastreeboard.org/research.Additional FAQs are available online at: https://www.realchristmastreeboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-FAQs.pdf. Spread the Word: RCTB Accepting 2026-27 Research Grant Proposals Real Christmas tree growers can play an important role in determining the direction of RCTB-funded research by submitting recommendations for research topicsand by sharing RCTB’s call for research grant proposals with researchers and local universities. RCTB typically funds $100,000 or more of research each year that focuses on image, desirability, use, marketability, quality, product development or production of Christmas trees.For 2026-27, RCTB has identified the following research priorities: Genetic improvementEnvironmental and socio-economic benefit of real treesInsect/pest managementImproved technologyDisease management/resistance Proposals may be submitted via email to research@realchristmastreeboard.org on or before July 3, 2026. The RCTB grant application is available online at: https://www.realchristmastreeboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026_27-CTPB-Research-Grant-Application.pdf. Share This Email Share This Email Share This EmailReal Christmas Tree Board800-985-0773info@realchristmastreeboard.orghttp://www.realchristmastreeboard.orgCopyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved. |
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