A COMMITTEE of interested parties is being formed to take Okehampton Farmers' Market into the future.

The market is also enlisting the help of Devon Food Links to gain access to funding and advice.

Local food producers plus members of the town council and chamber of trade will join market organiser Derek Godfrey-Brown to form a strong body of representatives.

Mr Godfrey-Brown, who has been at the helm since the market started four years ago, said there were plenty of ideas in the melting pot but funding was needed to take these forward.

By involving Devon Food Links, which was set up to resource local food initiatives, link together local food schemes plus develop farmers' markets and grant aid them, he believes these ideas can become a reality.

'I would like to see a more regular farmers' market, at least twice a month and eventually a shop selling local produce,' said Mr Godfrey-Brown.

'At the moment people have to whizz all around the countryside to find local produce but we need to make it more accessible to them.'

He said following foot and mouth it was very apparent that the agricultural community had to look at their own resources and develop and diversify — producing food to sell locally was an avenue many were looking into.

Jonathan Smye, of Devon Food Links, said the market wanted to encourage a greater variety of producers and by working as a team a development plan could be produced.