Nebraska's farmers and ranchers along with the Nebraska Beef Council are once again sponsoring the 4th annual Nebraska's Best Burger contest. A new format to the contest this year will determine the winner based on a combination of online votes and the scores from a panel of judges.

Application Deadline for Nebraska's Best Burger Contest Begins is March 15

Online nominations will be accepted until March 15 on the Nebraska Beef Council website www.nebeef.org or through their Facebook page. On March 15, the top five nominated restaurants will be announced. From March 15 to March 31, the public will be asked to vote again for one of the five finalists. During the final voting period, a panel of judges will also score the top five contestants. The overall contest winner will be determined by the highest combined total from the online vote and judges' scores.

Another change to this year's contest is that past winners will now be eligible to win again. Last year, the Peppermill Restaurant in Valentine, NE claimed the top prize.

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"This contest is really about showing off the great tasting beef served all across Nebraska," says Adam Wegner, director of marketing for the Nebraska Beef Council. "We've had hundreds of restaurants nominated for this award in the past and all of them were viable candidates," he says. "We're looking forward to even more participation this year."

Other past winners of the award include the Cellar Bar & Grill in Kearney and Stella's Bar & Grill in Bellevue.  

For a full list of rules, contest details or to submit a nomination, visit www.nebeef.org or contact the Nebraska Beef Council at 308-236-7551.

The Nebraska Beef Council consists of a nine-member board of directors who oversee Nebraska's beef checkoff and checkoff-funded programs. Programs for marketing and promotion are funded by the $1 beef checkoff.