UPDATE: Christmas Tree Tax Delayed by Obama Administration; Insiders Respond

In a breaking news development, the Obama administration has decided to delay the controversial Christmas Tree Tax.

Following an uproar aimed at the White House, the administration will reevaluate its position regarding the tax.

I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama Administration is not taxing Christmas trees, said White House spokesman Matt Lehrich according to ABC News.

Well, obviously if the media got it wrong blaming the Obama administration. We started in 2008. This is totally outside the executive office, said Richard Moore, a former Cornell professor and the Director of the Christmas Tree Growers Association. He says that the Obama administration has nothing to do with this industry regulated program.

I think the majority of Christmas tree growers will be disappointed, said Moore.

Robert Brown, independent Christmas tree farmer in upstate New York also commented on the breaking news.

I am happy they postponed at least for another year. I am hoping they will give us some time to communicate to all of the growers to all of the states, said Brown.

However, there is no way of telling how long the administration plans to delay the assessment.

This was kind of snuck in by the National Christmas Tree Organization, said Brown. He believes that the tax will hurt small Mom-and-Pop Christmas tree farmers.

The Obama administration and the Agriculture Department originally announced on Wednesday that it would impose a 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees to support a federal program to improve the image, branding, and advertising of Christmas trees. This program will be run similar to the Got Milk ads or Where's the beef ads run by the USDA.

A 12-member board would have distributed the money for ads and promotions as well as for research. The USDA hopes that it will promote a favorable image of Christmas trees to the general public.

Check back with International Business Times with developing news on this topic.

Read the original article here.