Mountain Blue Orchards has won an intellectual property court case after one of their blueberry varieties was appropriated by another grower.
The company will be paid $290,000 in damages by Jason Chellew, who was growing and selling the protected berry variety, called Ridley 1111.
This case has been one of the first under the new Plant Breeder’s Rights Act, setting a precedent for the importance of breeder’s intellectual property rights.
Mountain Blue's managing director Andrew Bell says “It sends a really strong message that you can't cut corners”.