Spray Once and Done: New Technology is Putting Money Back into the Pockets of Mid-Atlantic Growers

Joshua Towson (right) takes a quick break from harvest to talk ROI with Mike Twining (left) of Willard Agri-Service.

“I've had the experience of having to go back and respray. But not with SATCHUR8™.”

Glen Rock, PA January 22, 2026 -- An innovative spray tank additive called SATCHUR8™ is putting money back into the pockets of Mid-Atlantic growers by increasing herbicide efficacy and Joshua Towson of York County, Pennsylvania, is one of those who has seen the value of it expressed in the field. 

“The biggest benefit I saw was on large-seeded, broadleaves,” he says. “They were getting big fast, and we paired GLYPHOSATE, SATCHUR8 and ENLIST®,” he explains, “and within a week, those big weeds were melted to the ground, and they were dead.” Josh says he’s had the experience of having to go back with a second trip to rescue crops from runaway weeds like those and the cost can add up.

“If you're talking about another trip with the sprayer, that’s another $15 an acre, plus the time to do it,” he says, adding that time to spray is tough to find. “You're making that extra trip and spending the day bouncing around different fields, and it becomes a pain. So, yeah, I've had the experience of having to go back and respray. But not with SATCHUR8, and that means a better ROI (return on investment).”

SATCHUR8 comes to Mid-Atlantic farmers after several years of testing in the Willard Farm Performance System (FPS), a comprehensive portfolio of tools, products, and services backed by local expertise offered by Willard Agri-Service LLC, the three-generation crop input provider. Mike Twining, Willard Vice President of Innovation, says FPS is the latest of the Willard team’s ongoing efforts to fulfill their mission of helping their 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 re-sprays, 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.” Twining explains that SATCHUR8 was originally developed in the healthcare field to keep cancer drugs adhered to tumors for maximum effect, and this same characteristic makes the herbicide fuse to weeds for increased effectiveness. 

“If you were to look at it under a microscope, it's a bunch of microscopic filaments,” he says. “So, when you apply that technology in a spray environment by adding SATCHUR8 to the tank, you've suddenly created an opportunity for an active ingredient targeted on a weed that adheres to that foliage and releases over an extended period of time.” Plant health and formulation experts at Planet Earth Agronomy, a Midwest biological and agronomic research company, brought the new technology to crop production.

Twining says Willard Agri-Service launched the FPS to seek out and field test new technology like SATCHUR8 because they believe what truly serves their customers best is coming alongside them to a.) gain a higher net income from every acre they farm, and b.) safeguard their land for future generations. “We’re not going to recommend something to our growers until we’re sure it’s going to bring them a clear benefit,” he says. 

Twining says the FPS is designed to leverage Willard’s deep experience in Mid-Atlantic crop production and build on it with logistical and decision-support, as well as agronomic, expertise for growers. “We want to help them understand this goes way beyond just plant nutrition,” he says, adding that the rapid rise in new innovations around crop production has created an increasingly complicated and confusing environment for growers. Providing this guidance through the FPS is a company-wide initiative at Willard.

“Agriculture is complex, and we need a more rigorous, systematic approach to evaluating innovative technology of all kinds,” explains Billy Willard, Willard CEO. “When we apply high standards of evaluation, we can avoid misfires and help our customers realize a better return on their investment. We’re a truly local and independent company and that allows us to be objective on what works and what doesn’t.”