Christmas trees are set to cost 20 percent more in the US because of the ... trends now
The relentless drought plaguing the US could steal Christmas.
Tree farms across the US have been forced to close before Christmas due to a drought that has killed tens of thousands of trees
The abnormally low rainfall has killed tens of thousands, if not more, of evergreen conifers this year and the trees left will cost, on average, nearly $100 - a 20 percent markup from last year.
From New England to Texas, tree-cutting farms across the nation have been forced to close in the past few weeks due to this summer's drought that impacted growth and stressed mature trees until their needles turned brown.
One farm in Kansas, Prairie Pines Christmas Tree Farm, has not closed its doors, but owner Kip Scott told KWCH-DT that he planted thousands of trees earlier this year but lost 75 percent to the drought.
The price increase is not just due to a lack of supply, as inflation has forced growers to pay 50 percent more for supplies like fertilizers.
The latest data from the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) reports more than 59 percent of the lower 48 states were in drought from November 16 through 22.
And in the same week, 375.4 million crops were impacted.
Over the summer, drought plagued 40 percent of the country, with Texas, where one tree farm closed, feeling the brunt of it.
Kathy Radde, co-owner Radde Tannenbaum Farm in Meridian, told KCEN-TV News" 'It was a hard decision to [shutdown]to
