Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Shared-Use Community Kitchen Advisory Committee hope to cook up a plan that would allow area agricultural producers to develop new, value-added products that may help to increase farm viability.

David Cox, an Agriculture Development Specialist with Cooperative Extension, has put out a request for proposals to study the feasibility of a shared-use community kitchen.

A shared-use commercial kitchen is a commercially licensed food processing facility that is used by food entrepreneurs, both farm and non-farm, to start or expand food-related businesses. In addition to providing the space and equipment to produce value-added food products, these facilities often provide valuable training in food safety, marketing, and small business development.

Cox said the potential users of a facility include home-based food processors, community organizations, restaurants, caterers and other businesses seeking to produce a product, expand production or develop a new product.

The kitchen project addresses the objectives of the Otsego County Agriculture & Farmland Protection Plan by providing the chance to develop value-added products and thereby provide consumers with increased opportunities to purchase locally-made products. The purchase of those products would mean more food dollars are retained locally.

Cox said the study to be conducted this summer would help identify agricultural producers and others who would be interested in using the kitchen facility.

"Who's willing to participate is critical," he said. "If there is no interest, there is no sense in going further."

It is likely that the committee will have to look to people beyond Otsego County to reach the threshold number required to make the kitchen economically viable.

Cox said he expects to encompass an area within 50 miles of Cooperstown.

"The only way to look at any solution is look beyond boundaries. I can't see supporting this in Otsego County, but how many are needed is a number that I don't know. It's part of the study," he said.

From the examples of shared-use kitchen facilities he has seen, it is difficult to keep them operating in the black, but those are all bigger than what is envisioned here.

In fact, Cox said, there is one facility locally that may fit the bill - the kitchen at the Meadows which will be vacated when the county moves residents to the new Otsego Manor later this year.

"It is one we need to look at very seriously," he said, adding that he has only spoken briefly to county officials about the facility.

Cox said the kitchen would not be only for agricultural producers, but could include food entrepreneurs who need an incubator facility to develop and test recipes and products. It could also be used for educational programs dealing with nutrition and home canning, for example. Students in the BOCES culinary arts program might also make use of the kitchen, he said.

Funding for the feasibility study came from Senator James Seward, who is providing a $20,000 state grant.

The study is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

"I think we have an unusual opportunity. I think it might be the right formula," he said.