RUMFORD – Two agencies are trying to gauge the area’s interest for the establishment of a shared kitchen that would be used by small food producers.

If enough interest is shown by those who produce baked goods, jams and jellies, sausages, catering services and anything else that is often made in the kitchen, then the River Valley Growth Council and River Valley Technology Center will seek funding to construct a shared kitchen at the tech center for use by small producers.

Beverly Crosby of the growth council said a kitchen would have licenses required by the state, saving individual producers those costs. The professional kitchen would help area start-up businesses and job creation.

The local Agricultural Commission is also a partner in the potential enterprise, and Mark Hews of the Threshold to Maine, a state agency focused on rural development, will facilitate the two informational meetings set for 6 p.m. today and 5:30 p.m. on Friday at the tech center.

The informational sessions will seek input and gauge interest by those attending, and present similar plans drawn from other parts of the state and country, including the feasibility study conducted for the Fairbanks Neighborhood Association Shared Kitchen Project. Fairbanks is a village in the town of Farmington.

The local shared kitchen project is part of a push started a couple of years ago to draw from and use the agricultural history of area towns for economic development. A farmers market held each Friday in Mexico is part of the agricultural project.

Crosby said they hope to involve the Region 9 School of Applied Technology and area school districts in the shared kitchen project, with an eye on the possibility of offering a culinary arts program at some point.

Anyone with an interest is invited to the session.