Ranchers and land managers seeking effective solutions for invasive brush species will have a valuable opportunity to learn from an industry expert at the South Texas Farm and Ranch Show.
Brian Cain, Southern U.S. Account Manager at Envu, will present 鈥淚nvora: Redefining the Industry Standard in Mesquite and Huisache Control鈥 during the morning session on Oct. 24.
With nearly 40 years in the industry, Cain brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his presentation. His focus will be on Invora鈩, an innovative herbicide that offers groundbreaking solutions for controlling mesquite and huisache, two of the most challenging brush species in Texas.
These invasive plants are more than just a nuisance; they significantly reduce the quality of rangelands. This has long been a battle for ranchers, involving a variety of control methods, many of which are costly and offer only short-term solutions.
Revolutionary Active Ingredient
Invora, a patent-protected combination of aminocyclopyrachlor (ACP) and triclopyr, is a restricted-use pesticide designed for certified applicators. Cain says ACP comes to the forefront of this herbicide鈥檚 effectiveness.
鈥淎CP is the newest, most active compound for post-emergence brush control,鈥 Cain says. 鈥淎nd unlike other chemicals on the market, Invora actually kills mesquite and huisache for the long haul.鈥
Chasing that Molecule
Cain鈥檚 journey with ACP began when he first observed its remarkable efficacy in field trials around 2005, when he was working at a distributor for range and pasture products.
鈥淚鈥檝e been around long enough to know that most applications look pretty good for about a year, sometimes a year and a half,鈥 Cain says. 鈥淏ut I watched those trials for four years and they were outstanding.鈥
Driven by the potential of ACP, Cain says he spent the next part of his career 鈥渃hasing that molecule.鈥 He first joined DuPont, which originally owned the chemistry. When it was sold to Bayer Crop Science, he followed it to help support Bayer鈥檚 efforts to get an EPA registered label.
After years of hard work, Bayer eventually proved successful; Invora herbicide was first introduced to the market in 2020, specifically labeled for use on privately-owned, non-hayed rangeland and perennial grassland managed as rangeland in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona. The following year, Bayer sold its Environmental Science business, which became Envu. Once again, Cain followed that molecule.
Real-World Success
Now, nearly 20 years after Cain was first amazed by ACP, he鈥檚 excited that some customers are finally getting to see proof of what he鈥檚 long known.
鈥淚nvora has been out for four years now, and early adopters are stunned by its long-term effectiveness,鈥 Cain says.
鈥淲ith tough brush, it takes at least three years to know for sure if it鈥檚 really dead. Many ranchers don鈥檛 even spray for mesquite or huisache anymore because, in their previous experience, chemical treatments will suppress the brush, at first. But everything starts to grow back after two years. Now, they鈥檙e really starting to see the Invora difference compared to what was available before.鈥
Long-Haul Guarantee
Envu believes in Invora so much that it offers an unprecedented 鈥淟ong-Haul Guarantee鈥 when it鈥檚 applied in conjunction with the RangeView digital platform. Envu guarantees no more than 10% canopy cover of huisache five years after application; for mesquite, the guarantee is no more than 5% canopy cover after five years. If a treated area exceeds these specifications, Envu will cover 100% of the application cost, adjuvants, and Invora required for re-application.
Cain鈥檚 presentation at the South Texas Farm and Ranch Show promises to provide valuable insights for ranchers and land managers looking to improve their rangeland productivity.
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