Iowa’s beef producers are asking their fellow Iowans to help find Iowa’s Best Burger in 2019. In this year’s quest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association are encouraging you to nominate your favorite burger, whether it’s gourmet or down-home style.

This is the 10th year the two groups are holding the annual Iowa’s Best Burger contest, which officially kicked off Feb. 11. During the first phase of the contest, Iowans are encouraged to nominate their favorite burger before March 11. At that point, the 10 restaurants with the most nominations will be visited by a secret panel of judges, who will determine the ultimate winner. The 2019 Best Burger in Iowa will be announced on May 1, with the kickoff of May Beef Month in Iowa.

Details about the contest, rules and the voting form are available on the Iowa Beef Industry Council’s website, iabeef.org. Burger lovers can also find a link to the online nomination form at the Iowa Beef Council Facebook page, or by texting BEEF to 313131. Photos of your favorite burger can be shared socially using #IABestBurger. The nomination period will close at 5 p.m. March 11.

Must be 100% beef to qualify
To qualify to be named Iowa’s Best Burger, the burger must be a 100% beef patty and served on a bun or bread product.

Restaurants can download a digital toolkit including promotional materials for the contest from IBIC to promote the contest to their customers. The promotional materials can be used in the restaurants, online or on social media.

“Funded by the Iowa state beef checkoff program, this event has been a great way to showcase Iowa restaurants [that] are serving great beef and Iowa beef farmers who continually produce a wholesome and nutritious product for consumers,” says Janine Moore, chairman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “This collaboration between the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council is a great opportunity to promote Iowa’s beef industry, which generates an estimated $6.3 billion in economic activity in the state.”

Last year 700 restaurants nominated
In 2018, nearly 10,000 nominations for about 700 restaurants were received in the contest. A restaurant can only claim the title of “Iowa’s Best Burger” once. The final winners in previous years are:

Source: ICA and IBIC which are responsible for the information provided and wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and subsidiaries aren’t responsible for any content contained in this information asset.