Wisconsin

How tariffs are affecting Wisconsin’s real and artificial Christmas trees

Published

5 months ago

December 12, 2025

How tariffs are affecting Wisconsin’s real and artificial Christmas trees

Nearly all artificial Christmas trees in the world today are made in China. And with that comes an up to 30 percent tariff rate on imported Christmas products — including artificial trees.

Kris Reisdorf is co-president of the Racine- and Sturtevant-based home and garden store Milaeger’s. On WPR’s “Wisconsin Today,” Reisdorf said tariffs are affecting their prices on artificial trees, but she’s mitigating most of the rate hike through negotiations with manufacturers and by taking on lower profit margins herself.

“We are doing our fair share in making Christmas affordable,” Reisdorf said. “When the average person is thinking 30 percent (tariffs), that’s not by any means what they’re really paying.”

News with a little more humanity

WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter.

Milaeger’s “almost real” trees range from under $100 to well over $3,000. Reisdorff said she’s raised prices for all artificial trees by only around $20 compared to last year.

Residorf said tree sales are largely stable despite the uptick in tariff pricing.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll last year found that 58 percent of Americans were buying artificial trees instead of real ones. That’s up from 40 percent in 2010.

Greg Hann owns Hann’s Christmas Farm in Oregon. Hann also sits on the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association Board and is president-elect of the National Christmas Tree Association.

Hann told “Wisconsin Today” the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 created a surge in business for real evergreen trees and that demand has been holding relatively steady ever since. That said, Hann acknowledged real Christmas tree sales are up for him and fellow growers this year. He attributed the increase in sales to the tariffs and the fact that farmers’ supplies are finally catching up to the higher demand brought on by COVID-19. Nearly all real trees come from the United States or Canada, according to Hann.

Hann said a recent survey by the National Christmas Tree Association found 84 percent of Christmas tree growers nationwide have kept prices the same over the last two years, and that includes his own farm. Being grown locally in Wisconsin, Hann said his business is largely unaffected by tariffs.

“It’s kind of nice to have a good supply with a stable price in this economy,” he said.

Reisdorf said that some artificial tree manufacturers are moving operations outside of China to places like Cambodia. But most other countries in the east are also facing tariff threats.

Instead, Reisdorf said artificial tree importers are lobbying President Donald Trump to lower his 30 percent tariffs on Christmas products like trees and ornaments, because those kinds of goods aren’t coming back to be made in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Hann said his organization is lobbying to have tariffs on artificial trees increased to 300 percent. He said the added tariff costs help create an “even playing field” between real and artificial trees, since farmers have to pay farm staff and cover fertilizer costs.

But it isn’t always about the cost. Reisdorf said artificial trees have the benefit of lasting “forever,” essentially.

Hann said many of his customers come to the farm looking to keep up the Christmas tradition of picking out their own family tree.

“They’re looking for that fragrance of a real tree,” he said. “They want to start that tradition of the family together. They pick the tree, they take it into their house.”

Source link

Related Topics:Economy Featured Holidays news

Click to comment

Wisconsin

Suspected human bones found in northern Wisconsin

Published

11 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

Suspected human bones found in northern Wisconsin

(WFRV) – Authorities in northern Wisconsin are investigating after suspected human bones may have been found by a forester.

According to a release from the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, a forester marking trees on Friday, May 8, notified officials that he may have found human bones.

Rusk County deputies, DNR officials, and officials with the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigations responded to the scene and were led through the woods and recovered the suspected human bones.

Authorities say they are working with the Rusk County Medical Examiner’s office and a forensic anthropologist to confirm the identity.

Positive identification has not yet been made, but officials say a positive identification is expected to be made based off of medical records.

No other information is available at this time.

Source link

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for May 10, 2026

Published

23 hours ago

May 11, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for May 10, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 10 drawing

Midday: 4-5-6

Evening: 6-9-4

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 10 drawing

Midday: 3-8-0-8

Evening: 5-0-5-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 10 drawing

Midday: 07-08-09-11-12-15-16-17-20-21-22

Evening: 02-05-06-07-11-13-17-18-19-20-22

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 10 drawing

17-19-23-28-29

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from May 10 drawing

05-09-10-14-33-39, Doubler: N

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Wisconsin

How many homes could be built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026?

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

How many homes could be built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026?

(Stacker) – Homebuilding plays a critical role in maintaining a steady housing supply and keeping prices at sustainable levels. As the U.S. population grows, more housing is needed to meet demand. Since the Great Recession, construction has lagged well behind what is needed, which is one of the main reasons home prices are so high today.

Supply has slowly increased over the past few years but is still below what is needed for the market to balance out. Until that gap closes, prices are likely to remain elevated, and many buyers will likely struggle to afford a home.

So, how many homes are getting built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026? Is construction increasing or decreasing?

Redfin Real Estate analyzed the rate of housing permits issued in the cities of Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Sheboygan over the past 13 months to find out.

Appleton

Appleton housing permits January 2025-January 2026(WBAY)

2026

January – Building permits: 29 (1.2 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 57 (2.3 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 52 (2.1 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 46 (1.9 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 60 (2.5 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 183 (7.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 53 (2.2 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 128 (5.3 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 139 (5.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 86 (3.5 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 246 (10.1 per 10k)

Fond du Lac

2026

January – Building permits: 10 (1.0 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 15 (1.4 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 17 (1.6 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 16 (1.5 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 19 (1.8 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)

Green Bay

2026

January – Building permits: 304 (9.3 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 84 (2.6 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 67 (2.0 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 97 (3.0 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 166 (5.1 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 141 (4.3 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 93 (2.8 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 185 (5.6 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 120 (3.7 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 88 (2.7 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 155 (4.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 156 (4.8 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 62 (1.9 per 10k)

Oshkosh

2026

January – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 15 (0.9 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 23 (1.3 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 22 (1.3 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 46 (2.7 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 61 (3.6 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 54 (3.1 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 77 (4.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 26 (1.5 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 87 (5.1 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 125 (7.3 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 79 (4.6 per 10k)

Sheboygan

2026

January – Building permits: 3 (0.3 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 31 (2.6 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 27 (2.3 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 9 (0.8 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 19 (1.6 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 22 (1.9 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 15 (1.3 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 174 (14.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 38 (3.2 per 10k)

Nationally

2026

January – Building permits: 1,386,000 (44.2 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 1,460,000 (46.6 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 1,454,000 (44.2 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 1,481,000 (47.2 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 1,422,000 (45.4 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 1,394,000 (44.5 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 1,393,000 (44.4 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 1,362,000 (43.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 1,330,000 (42.4 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 1,425,000 (45.1 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 1,411,000 (45.0 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 1,388,000 (44.3 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 1,455,000 (46.4 per 10k)

National permit data is a seasonally adjusted annual rate; metro-level permit data is the non-seasonally adjusted total number of permits issued per month.

Source link