New apple varieties released by Washington State University will not be club varieties. Dr. Jim McFerson, manager of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, which has been granted an exclusive license for the first variety, WA 2, said that during extensive discussions on how to commercialize WSU’s varieties, there was an overwhelming sentiment that every person who supported the breeding programwhich is anyone who paid assessments to the commissionshould have access. The proposed commercialization plan agreed upon by Washington State University and the Research Commission does not set a cap on production (although royalties rise as production increases). Nor does […]