Consumer questions

Question: I want to make some candies to sell and was told that a shared-use kitchen may be the way to go. What exactly is a shared-use kitchen, and where can I get more information?

Answer: Shareduse kitchens are also known as shared-time, community, commercial or incubator kitchens. They are commercial facilities where you can rent time and space to manufacture your own food products. For those just starting out in commercial food production, they can be beneficial places to learn the ropes before investing in your own facilities and equipment. They get the name “incubator kitchens” because they may serve as starter kitchens for young, small businesses.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture licenses each operator using shared-time kitchens. To learn more, contact the department’s Food Safety Division at 404656-3621 and visit its website at www.agr. georgia. gov/ retail. aspx where you will find “Guidelines for Community Kitchens” and “Guidelines for Managers of Community Kitchens” and other information that may be helpful.

Q: Where do peanuts come from?

A: The peanut, one of Georgia’s most important and signature crops, originated in South America but is now grown and enjoyed around the world and is a vital ingredient in Asian, African and American cuisines.

Q: What is the difference between specialty produce and a specialty crop?

A: “Specialty produce” is generally defined as fruits, vegetables and nuts that are not as widely grown by farmers or that are not as commonly known by the public as other produce items. They may have fewer or more narrow uses and require special instructions or explanations and education about what they are and what they are used for. Some of them could be considered niche market items.

For example, almost everyone can recognize a Red Delicious apple and know what to do with it. However, an heirloom apple variety with a russet skin or an apple variety used mainly for cider may be lumped in the specialty produce category. Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes may be considered specialty produce because many people are unfamiliar with them and may need instructions about how they can be used. Specialty produce is not inferior or better than other produce; it is just not as well known, widely used or widely grown.

The term “specialty crop” has its origins in the same basic ideas that define specialty produce. However, there is a specific definition of “specialty crop” as it applies to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the 2014 Farm Bill, which defines specialty, crops as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops ( including floriculture).” Specialty crops as defined by USDA may qualify for the agency’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Eligible plants must be cultivated or managed and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered specialty crops.