[Cary, N.C., September 19, 2025] – With nearly 50,000 wildfires already burning more than 4.3 million acres across the United States this year, Envu leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., last week for a series of bipartisan meetings to highlight the urgent need to preserve federal cost-share programs that support wildfire prevention and rangeland restoration.
Envu CEO Gilles Galliou, Range & Pasture Specialist Justin Hossfeld, and Government Relations Manager Derek Sebastian, Ph.D., met with Senate and House members and staff from both parties, as well as senior officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Protecting Communities and Taxpayer Dollars
The discussions focused on federal cost-share programs administered through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) — including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Delivered as cost-share grants often matched at state or local levels, these programs enable ranchers and landowners to access innovative tools to combat invasive annual grasses and restore resilient landscapes.
One example of those tools is Rejuvra® herbicide, a preemergence herbicide with a highly targeted mode of action that remains in the top half inch of soil. Unlike technologies that act only on existing plants after they emerge, Rejuvra herbicide prevents invasive grass seedlings from ever emerging in the first place — gradually depleting the seed bank over time. A single treatment, applied at a very low rate of 5 ounces of active ingredient per acre, can deliver more than four years of control. This long-lasting window allows perennial grasses and forbs to rebound, biodiversity to return, and landscapes to better filter water and resist wildfires.
“Wildfires are burning hotter and faster, threatening communities and ecosystems alike,” noted Galliou. “As a global leader in environmental science, we believe Envu should play a nonpartisan role in helping policymakers understand the science behind what is driving this dangerous uptick, the safe and sustainable solutions available to mitigate it, and the progress already made — progress that could be undone if federal cost-share programs were no longer available to ranchers and land management agencies. Prevention can cost as little as $70 an acre, compared to $500 or more per acre for suppression and recovery.”
Galliou and the Envu team underscored that cutting funding would threaten rejuvenation efforts that have been done to date, worsen fire cycles and make it harder for western rangelands to be restored. While these programs have not officially been cut, some administering agencies have already been identified for potential budget reductions or consolidation — highlighting the importance of proactive advocacy.
On-the-Ground Perspective
Invasive annual grasses now cover more than 120 million acres across the western U.S. They choke out native species, reduce forage quality, accelerate carbon loss and are four times more likely to ignite than native vegetation.
“As someone who has spent decades running cattle and working with ranchers across the West, I’ve seen what these programs make possible,” said Hossfeld. “Tools like Rejuvra herbicide, combined with federal cost-share support, finally give land managers a chance to deplete the massive seed banks of these destructive invasive species. I’ve watched pastures go from nothing but cheatgrass to healthy stands of native grasses and forbs after a single treatment.”
A Broader Call for Science-Based Solutions
While the focus in Washington was on rangeland restoration, the Envu team emphasized that the principles of prevention against invasive species and improving ecosystem resilience extend far beyond the West. Healthier landscapes reduce wildfire risk, protect public health and support economic stability in every region where prevention and restoration practices are applied — across the United States and globally.
As the world’s first global innovation company of its size dedicated entirely to environmental science, Envu is advancing innovation and sustainability solutions across multiple industries — from pest and mosquito management to turf, ornamentals, forestry, range and pasture, and industrial vegetation management. The company’s science-first approach and collaborative partnerships aim to address urgent environmental challenges while building resilience for the future.
About Envu
Envu was founded in 2022, a company built on years of environmental science experience, for the sole purpose of advancing healthy environments for everyone, everywhere. Envu offers dedicated services in: Professional Pest Management, Forestry, Ornamentals, Golf, Industrial Vegetation Management, Lawn & Landscape, Mosquito Management, and Range & Pasture. Envu collaborates with customers to design innovative solutions that meet their requirements today and well into the future. The Envu portfolio consists of over 250 trusted and well-known brands. The company employs more than 1,000 people, operates in 100 countries, and has four global innovation hubs. For additional information, visit www.envu.com.
