They are licensed...to Washington State growers. It's not so different than pharma companies that patent a drug and sell it exclusively until the patent expires

They are licensed...to Washington State growers. It's not so different than pharma companies that patent a drug and sell it exclusively until the patent expires, or they license rights to other manufacturers. The apples were developed at Washington State University, a state institution, so it's to the university's and the state's advantage to let Washington State growers have exclusive rights to grow the apples (for at least 10 years, according to the apple's web page FAQ...so at least until 2027). Disclaimer: I'm a WSU graduate, though my degree couldn't be much further away from agriculture. And I enjoy Cosmic Crisps, and hope they make the Red Delicious extinct, which is one of the things they were designed to do.