January 25, 2007, RESTON, VA - Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative has pledged to once again award five $1,000 scholarships for the 2007-2008 academic year to students pursuing careers within the dairy industry. Applications are available from the Scholarship page or by calling 1-800-552-1976.

To be eligible, applicants must be the son, daughter or employee of a Maryland & Virginia member and be pursuing higher education from an accredited college or university. Scholarship winners are selected based on their scholastic achievements, extracurricular activities, application essay responses and dedication to a career in the dairy industry.

Applicants are asked to provide a current school transcript and a letter of reference in addition to their completed application by Feb. 15, 2007. Thanks to the generosity of Maryland & Virginia members, industry partners and an anonymous contributor, the cooperative may present additional awards at the recommendation of the judges. Maryland & Virginia will notify the respective winners by April 15.

Owned and operated by 1,500 dairy farm families from Pennsylvania to Georgia, Maryland & Virginia is a milk marketing and processing cooperative providing consumers throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. with fresh milk and dairy products. Maryland & Virginia owns and operates three fluid processing plants; Marva Maid of Newport News, Va., Marva Maid of Landover, Md., and Maola Milk and Ice Cream Company in New Bern, N.C.; a manufacturing plant in Laurel, Md.; and an equipment warehouse business in Frederick, Md. The cooperative is also majority owner of a second manufacturing plant, Valley Milk LLC located in Strasburg, Va.