Hamburg, N.Y., manufacturer to scale production of Swormlure for USDA in the fight against the New World screwworm

Eaton Brothers Corporation (EBC), the Western New York maker of tree care and pest control products sold under the Treekote and Tanglefoot brands, has been awarded a contract by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to manufacture Swormlure SL4. EBC will be responsible for scaling production of the product, which supports the nation's response to the New World screwworm, a parasitic pest that has moved north through Mexico and now threatens American livestock.

The New World screwworm is the larva of a parasitic fly. The female lays her eggs in open wounds or other moist openings on warm-blooded animals, and the hatched larvae burrow into living flesh and feed on it. Left untreated, an infestation can kill an animal in a matter of days.

New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax)Eaton Brothers CorporationThe pest was eradicated from the United States in 1966, largely through the sterile insect technique, in which millions of sterilized male flies are released so that wild females produce eggs that never hatch. Screwworm re-emerged in southern Mexico in late 2024 and has since worked its way north. In 2026, the USDA confirmed the first detections in Texas in decades, and federal and state agencies have responded with movement controls, expanded trapping and surveillance, and large-scale releases of sterile flies.

The stakes are high for American agriculture. Cattle are considered the most at-risk animals because they travel in herds and are prone to the small wounds that attract egg-laying flies. Beyond livestock deaths, an outbreak drives up treatment and labor costs, damages hides, and can disrupt cattle movement and trade. USDA-cited estimates put the potential cost to the Texas economy at about $1.8 billion a year, with national losses reaching into the billions if the pest becomes established.

The threat is not limited to cattle. Screwworm can infest pets, wildlife and, in rare cases, people. Health officials note that the risk to humans is low and that the pest poses no food safety concern, but the animal health and economic consequences of an unchecked spread are serious, which is why early detection and rapid eradication are a high priority for the USDA.

Swormlure SL4 is an attractant used in the traps and surveillance programs that help detect screwworm flies and track where they are active. Reliable, domestically produced supply of that tool means faster detection, tighter containment and a stronger first line of defense for ranchers, producers and rural communities. EBC has worked with the USDA for the last 18 months as the agency expanded its response and will now be responsible for the scale-up and ongoing production of the product.

“We’re always looking for new opportunities to manufacture innovative and critical products here in the U.S., and our relationship with the USDA has allowed us to bring manufacturing for this stateside. This is obviously a huge risk to an already fragile industry, so we’re moving at a pretty fast pace to keep up with the threat.”

— Alex Keogan, president, Eaton Brothers Corporation

EBC brings decades of hands-on manufacturing experience to the task. The company has operated in Hamburg, New York, since 1934 and has built a record of taking specialized chemical and pest control products from small batches to dependable, large-scale production.

About Eaton Brothers Corporation

Eaton Brothers Corporation is a manufacturing and distribution company based in Hamburg, New York, where it has operated since 1934. The company makes tree care and pest control products under the Treekote and Tanglefoot brands and specializes in scaling niche chemical and pest control production; Treekote and Tanglefoot products can be found at retailers including Lowe’s, Menards and independent garden centers nationwide. Learn more at www.eatonbrothers.com.