A jury in a federal court ruled this week that two former stars of the strawberry breeding program at UC-Davis violated an agreement with the university over control of the plants they developed while at the school, reported the Sacramento Bee. The judge in the case scolded both sides for bad conduct and urged them to reach a settlement before he decides on the legal remedy.
Until a few years ago, plant breeders Douglas Shaw and Kirk Larson were the leaders of the strawberry program at UC-Davis. “Over two decades, they developed a host of plumper and sweeter strawberries, and helped solidify California as the world leader in strawberry production,” said the Bee. When they left the university, amid some acrimony, they set up a breeding business of their own. UC-Davis refused to give them a license to use the breeding plants. The scientists, for their part, accused the school of squelching innovation.
“Even though the jury ruled in the university’s favor, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria could still order UC-Davis to grant the two scientists a license to use the plants at the university’s greenhouse,” said the Bee. “In his post-verdict comments, the judge scolded both sides and said UC Davis was just as guilty of ‘bad conduct’ as its former employees.”