U.S. Rep. Jason Smith on Monday kicked off a week of touring Missouri farms, making his fourth stop on the tour at Meier Horseshoe Pines Christmas Tree Farm in Jackson. A Cattlemen's Association Meeting in Cape Girardeau was his last stop Monday.

Steve and Theresa Meier are in their 25th season of selling Christmas trees. The farm at 2146 County Road 330 in Jackson is a choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm. The Meier family plants about 2,500 Christmas trees in three varieties each year.

The Meiers discussed their poor crop over the last three years because of disease and drought, saying it takes seven years for the ground to be able to support the planting of trees, and another seven years until the trees are ready to be harvested. Several thousand Christmas trees on the Meier farm were lost during the last few years.

For this, the Meiers said they are thankful for the crop insurance the United States Department of Agriculture provides. But for the same reason, they asked Smith and other Missouri legislators present to support a Christmas tree checkoff, or the creation of a Christmas tree promotion, research and information order, which already has been approved by the USDA and is an amendment in the farm bill.

The checkoff is a program designed to benefit the Christmas tree industry and would be funded by growers at a rate of 15 cents per tree sold, according to the National Christmas Tree Association position statement. The checkoff would generate from $1 million to $1.5 million to growers for the research of Christmas trees, including the study of hybrid Christmas trees, Steve Meier said. Members of the association currently receive money only through donations.

"It would cost nothing to the consumer because the grower has to pay for it," Steve Meier said.

Ben Meier, Steve and Theresa Meier's son, said he was happy to see Smith on a farm tour because Smith had grown up on a farm. In a short period of time, Ben Meier said, Smith gained a large area of people he now represents.

"I think it's good that he wants to see and meet and know" the people in the area, Ben Meier said.

Smith will continue the farm tour through Friday, making 20 stops in all.

adowning@semissourian.com

388-3632

Pertinent address:

2146 County Road 330, Jackson, Mo.