New Application Technology from the Willard Farm Performance System Means Better Weed Control at Lower Cost to Farmers
“Where I used SATCHUR8™ this past year, it meant a lot less respraying.”
E.J. Paniere, Farmer and Custom Applicator
Jamie Kimbles, Willard Agri-Service
Lynch, Maryland, January 15, 2026 -- It didn’t take long for farmer and custom applicator E.J. Paniere of Kent County, Maryland to see that something different – and better – was going on with his burndown herbicide application last spring.
“I ran probably 300 acres of tank mix with SATCHUR8 that first day,” he remembers. “I'd been all the way around the first field and sprayed a couple of other ones and when I came back to the first field, I could see right to the line, full coverage.” He was impressed enough to give Jamie Kimbles, his Willard Ag Farm Performance Advisor, a call right away.
“I said, ‘Jamie, I can actually see, right to the end of the boom, where I’ve sprayed with the wetness of the plant.” For E.J., it indicated that the chemistry would adhere longer to the leaves of those weeds and produce a better kill. “It holds that chemical on their longer and that’s a good thing. Where I used SATCHUR8 this past year, it meant a lot less respraying.” WATCH E.J. and Jamie Video here.
Kimbles says E.J.’s experience is typical and a welcome answer to the growing challenge of controlling tough weeds across the Eastern Shore. “When I go back and scout our fields after using it, I’m seeing a lot less weed pressure,” says Kimbles. “And that was the main issue we were out to fix, is just having to go back and respray all these problem weeds either from breaks in residual control or incomplete kill of the weeds following post emergent applications.”
Better Weed Control at Lower Cost – page two
SATCHUR8 comes to Mid-Atlantic farmers after rigorous testing in the Willard Farm Performance System (FPS), a comprehensive portfolio of tools, products, and services backed by local expertise offered by Willard AgriService. Willard is a trusted and growing independent retailer helping their customers grow and increase profitability for more than 56 years. Mike Twining, Willard Vice President of Innovation, says the FPS is the latest of the Willard team’s ongoing efforts to fulfill their mission of helping customers maximize their farm’s profitability while being leaders in technology and environmental stewardship.
“SATCHUR8 is a great example of what we are working to do for farmers with FPS. When we avoid resprays, that's real money. And it's real money that goes back into the pockets of our farmer customers,” Twining says. “I can tell you without reservation that what we experienced last year was that where we used SATCHUR8 in historically tough weed control scenarios, our number of spray passes dropped by over 50 percent.”
Larry Fiene, agronomist and founder of Planet Earth Agronomy, formulator of SATCHUR8, has found that while the burndown activity is impressive, it’s not the only clear benefit he’s seen from the new technology.
“It also makes pre-emerge herbicides last longer,” he explains. “Residual weed control is lasting longer because the active ingredient is being retained in the soil upper profile longer. In side-by-side trials, the SATCHUR8 tank mix lasted four to six weeks longer than the standard herbicide application.”
“We had fewer resprays this year for problem weeds than we’ve ever had,” says Kimbles. “And I would attribute that to the SATCHUR8. It’s always got to be a win-win for the growers and for us, and that’s what we get with SATCHUR8.”
Willard Agri Service (www.WillardAg.com) is a forward-thinking, full-service, independent ag retailer providing a comprehensive portfolio of crop production tools and services backed by local expertise and practical experience in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Willard delivers a client by client, solutions-first approach resulting in long-term partnerships as trusted advisors that help farmers maximize success and sustain profitability. Willard goes beyond plant nutrition to provide growers with logistical support, decision support and agronomic expertise. Talk to a Farm Performance Advisor today by visiting willardag.com/contact-us.
