RUMFORD – People are being sought to help plan a communal kitchen.

Mark Hews, who provides technical support from Threshold of Maine, which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture organization, said Tuesday afternoon that one of the major projects of the Agricultural Commission is to establish a shared kitchen to help local food producers grow their businesses.

“This project needs community support. We’re looking for a lot of different expertise,” he said at a meeting of the Shared Use Kitchen Committee. “People want local foods, but Maine and other states have lost the capacity.”

The committee, which operates under the auspices of the River Valley Growth Council, wants farmers, food processors, school officials, municipal leaders, local restaurants and others, to make such a production facility a reality.

“We’re looking for people who are seriously interested in planning a commercial kitchen,” he said.

Subcommittees are needed to work on a kitchen design and equipment, to devise an annual budget, and to help search for funding.

Hews said the committee is pursuing grants that would help renovate the third floor of the River Valley Technology Center for shared use kitchen. They are also applying for a grant for the growth council that would fund staff time for agricultural technical assistance.

The Rumford Agricultural Commission’s long-term strategic plan includes a shared use kitchen, a farmers market and community garden.

The commission meets next at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, to continue work on the plan and other agricultural projects. Anyone interested in farming or food is welcome to attend the commission and Shared Use Kitchen Committee meetings.

Hews said part of the committee’s work is to draft proposals for grant applications.

He is working with other shared use kitchen projects around the state, including one in Fairbanks. The proposed one here, however, is the largest because of the amount of space available at the technology center.

The next kitchen committee meeting was set for 4:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the tech center.