State grant will modernize Maola's Newport News dairy facility

A $731,607 Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grant will fund upgrades at Maola's Newport News dairy facility to expand storage and support its school milk supply.

A $731,607 state grant will fund modernization work at the Maola dairy facility in Newport News to support its school milk business. Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced in February that the Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, Maola's parent, was among 12 recipients of Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grants totaling more than $4.9 million for Virginia projects. The funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The upgrades are intended to expand processing and distribution capacity at the cooperative's plant. Key details: - The grant amount is $731,607 awarded to the Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative for the Newport News Maola facility. - The award is one of 12 Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grants totaling more than $4.9 million, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. - Planned purchases include five refrigerated trailers and upgrades to two unrefrigerated milk silos, replacing them with larger-capacity silos fitted with advanced refrigeration and insulated lines. - The cooperative's network is reported to benefit more than 400 dairy farmers in Virginia and surrounding states. - The Newport News plant employs over 155 people and produces a range of milk products, including high-temperature, short-time pasteurized milk, chocolate and strawberry milk, buttermilk and ice cream milk. - Maola purchased the facility in 1961 and expanded it by about 53,000 square feet in Copeland Industrial Park in 2022. Summary: The investment is intended to increase storage and cold-chain capacity at the Newport News facility, which officials say will help supply milk to school systems and allow a broader mix of products. Undetermined at this time.