A long-time friend of mine, Dr. Peggy Azad PhD, developed this amazingly effective technology. She lived on a lake in a game refuge in the suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, which is highly populated with all sorts of critters. Of course hunting and trapping was illegal, and the use of pesticides discouraged, especially near the water. Her extensive and beloved garden was constantly under attack. Peggy was desperate to find something that was absolutely safe and non-toxic, but highly effective. A potent broad-spectrum repellent would be just the thing.

    In 1978 she discovered an ingredient that did just this. When sprayed on plants they were left in peace by critters of all sorts. Further experimentation showed it was also highly effective against the iris borer that was infesting the area. Peggy hired a chemist to perfect the formula so that it would not dissipate rapidly after application and would not wash off easily in the weather.

    This was no small feat. The word "determination" is personified in Peggy. She is a researcher and developer at heart and by education. After several years of formulating and testing in her own garden she had a repellent that could protect plants from animals and replace pesticides.

    It was then that she discovered the Pesticide Branch of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA classifies even non-toxic repellents as pesticides. Batteries of tests by independent researchers would be required before her new technology could be brought to fruition. As a part of those tests she undertook five years of efficacy testing against the iris borer in a real world environment. The results were amazing.

    The product was finally granted full EPA registration in 1993 and could be brought to market for the benefit of others. Peggy’s talents are in research and development, but without a business infrastructure it could not go to the next level. Peggy asked me to take it from here.

    I had always worked for Coca-Cola and Colgate-Palmolive and by 1993 I was developing markets on the territory of the former Soviet Union. Last year Peggy decided enough was enough – would I please come home now and devote myself to commercializing her discovery?

    We moved back to the good old U. S. of A, and my wife and I started Egis Agricultural, Inc. to bring to market a line of wonderfully safe and astoundingly effective products built on her technology. The first product is Garden Shield Iris Borer Deterrent.

    Egis is a small startup staffed by my wife Tanya and me. We still have the same research chemist Peggy had retained years ago. My daughter, Paulina, is a great asset since she apparently knows everything.

    We hope you will try our first product if you have iris borers. If you are lucky and do not have them, please watch this space for a bunch of wonderful garden-friendly products coming in the near future and say goodbye to pesticides. And deer, and rodents, and all sorts of critters.

    Thank you.

    Bill, Tanya and Paulina Mateo

    We make bug repellent for plants.
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    Garden Shield - 5 Randolph Place - Cos Cobb, CT -- 06807 -- 866-690-4000 -- info@gardenshield.com