WSU accused of stealing Selah company's secrets

SPOKANE — The research into a new genetic test for beef tenderness may have been stolen by Washington State University, according to Selah-based Tenet Beef.

A federal lawsuit was filed against WSU and professor Zhihua Jiang by Tenet Beef in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Washington on April 2. They are asking for injunctive relief and a jury trial to determine if WSU violated federal law to protect companies’ trade secrets and the state’s Public Records Act.

An amount of money for damages was not specified, but the company is seeking it and their attorney fees.

Tenet Beef claims WSU tried...