Expansion Set at Homestead Creamery; 20 New Jobs

Homestead Creamery's Farm Market Store

Franklin County-based Homestead Creamery, known for its home delivery, plans to expand its facilities and introduce a line of cheeses as part of a $1.1 million expansion supported by a new state grant designed to support Virginia’s agricultural industry.

The expansion is expected to create 20 new full-time jobs over three years at the dairy’s Franklin County production facility.

Announcing the expansion at Homestead, Viginia Gov. Bob McDonnell said, “Awarding the first-ever Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID) grant to a company like Homestead Creamery ...  is the perfect way to launch this new program from my administration’s economic development and jobs creation agenda.

"Homestead is just the type of company for which this program was built, one that can take the high-quality agricultural products Virginia has to offer and turn them into value-added products consumers are seeking. I’m certain the AFID will provide further growth opportunities for Virginia’s diverse agricultural economy, the Commonwealth’s largest industry.”

Homestead will receive a $60,000 grant through the fund, established this year by the General Assembly as a new economic development tool to help incentivize the creation or expansion of businesses that use Virginia agricultural and forestry products, particularly in rural areas.

The expansion also is made possible by a $45,000 grant through the Tobacco Region Opportunity Fund from the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission and a Franklin County grant of $30,000. The company will also receive training assistance from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

(Photo: vegologyblog.com.)