Rapping farmers' success provokes search for the next online music sensation.

Matt Cardle may have won The X Factor, but for Yeo Valley, the real winners were the farmers from its now world famous rap advert.

Rapping farmers’ success provokes search for the next online music sensation

Matt Cardle may have won The X Factor, but for Yeo Valley, the real winners were the farmers from its now world famous rap advert. Viewed over 1.9 million times via YeoTube, the video has already inspired a series of spoofs, leading the UK’s number one organic brand to launch an official search for the next farming hit single.

Joining forces with Farmers Guardian, Yeo Valley is on the hunt for the next big rural record, and is offering budding singer/ songwriters the chance to win four tickets to this year’s Glastonbury festival, as well as performing their song on the Yeo Valley stage at the event. Young Farmers Club members, students and anyone living and working in the countryside are invited to help promote British farming by uploading their version of a favourite chart song, or pen an entirely new song, to be in with the chance of winning this once in a lifetime prize.

Festival organiser Michael Eavis will help choose the finalists, alongside Yeo Valley’s managing director Tim Mead, and Farmers Guardian’s features editor Danusia Osiowy and head of digital content Jack Davies. The top three videos will then be put to a public vote with whoever receives the most votes crowned Tractor Factor winner.

Tim Mead said, “The rap advert received an unprecedented response from a relatively small burst of TV exposure. Its popularity online, and the number of spoof videos that have been uploaded showed there is a great deal of untapped talent out there, so we’re looking to unleash this creative potential and who knows, maybe even find the next big music stars with our Tractor Factor competition.”

Danusia Osiowy added, “Following the success of the ‘rapping farmers’, Farmers Guardian is delighted to be working with Yeo Valley to continue highlighting the UK’s farming industry.

“There are no better advocates for the future of farming’s image than young people working and living in the countryside, who love what they do and appreciate what others so often take for granted.

“Tractor Factor puts the fun back into farming but also provides a platform to elevate farming into the minds of the public. A huge pool of talent lies within the likes of Young Farmers’ Clubs, agricultural colleges and other rural groups and communities and we want to tell why Britain’s farmers are a force to be reckoned with.”

Entrants have until 31st March 2011 to come up with a song idea, record it and upload it to the Tractor Factor YouTube channel, with full details available at www.farmersguardian.com/tractorfactor.

Somerset-based Yeo Valley is a family run business, committed to sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly British farming and is accredited by The Soil Association. For more information about Yeo Valley, product information and recipe ideas, please visit http://www.yeovalleyorganic.co.uk/