A California farmer who drew national attention for his free nectarine giveaway has been ordered to destroy his fruit trees after losing a legal dispute over crop ownership. Cesar Mora, a farmer from Reedley, was ordered last week to destroy his nectarine trees, concluding a weekslong trial with the fruit giant Giumarra Brothers Fruit Company.
Mora had claimed that Giumarra blocked him from packing or selling his nectarines, despite his assertion that he had personally grown the crop for the past decade. The legal case had been active in the courts since 2023. According to a GoFundMe for Mora, Giumarra claims ownership of the variety of fruit Mora grows and sued him for breach of contract. Mora disputed both the company's ownership claim and the contract's validity, filing a counterclaim for fraud and misrepresentation.
A jury deliberated for three hours before delivering a verdict that rejected Mora's claims that Giumarra had not fulfilled its promises to him in exchange for growing its white nectarines. The produce company, in turn, argued that Mora had violated their agreement by selling fruit to another supplier. The jury ultimately found that Mora had breached his contract, but also determined that he was not required to pay any damages to Giumarra Brothers.
"I’m done. I mean, they came knocking on my door," Mora told ABC30 Action News. "So, how can I have a company that’s going out and trying to find small growers to sign them up for programs like this where all they do is harm me? They didn’t do many any favors. They didn’t do me any good." Mora's legal team has stated they intend to appeal the ruling. He was given until the end of October to destroy his nectarine trees.
Mora's giveaway event in July attracted massive crowds, leading the California Highway Patrol to temporarily shut down the area due to safety concerns as lines of vehicles stretched for miles.
Farming has been a generational practice for Mora's family.
