AMES, IOWA – Iowa’s cattle producers are asking their fellow Iowans to help find Iowa’s Best Burger in 2018. In this year’s quest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) are encouraging you to nominate your favorite burger, whether it’s gourmet or down-home style.

This is the ninth year the two groups are holding the annual Iowa’s Best Burger contest, which officially kicks off February 12. The nomination period will close at 5 p.m. on March 12, 2018. To qualify to and be named Iowa’s Best Burger, the burger must be a 100% beef patty and served on a bun or bread product.

Katie Olthoff, Director of Communications for the ICA says “We are excited to begin the search for this year’s best burger in Iowa. This year, our goal is to get new restaurants involved in the contest. We know we have many restaurants across the state serving a great beef burger.”

In order to recognize these great burgers, IBIC and ICA are asking Iowans to nominate their favorite burger for the award, and those nominations can be made online or by text. Details about the contest, rules, and the voting form are available on the Iowa Beef Industry Council’s website, www.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.

Brooke German, Director of Marketing for the IBIC, says “Restaurants can download a digital toolkit including promotional materials for the contest from IBIC’s website at iabeef.org to promote the contest to their customers. The promotional materials can be used in their restaurants or online such as their social media platforms.”

The nomination period ends March 12, 2018. German noted that the top 10 restaurants with the most votes are eligible for the title of Iowa’s Best Burger. The top ten finalists will be announced on March 19. Finalists will receive a certificate and will be eligible for the secret taste-test of contest judges. The 2018 Best Burger in Iowa will be announced on May 1 with the kick-off of May Beef Month in Iowa.

In 2017, nearly 9,200 nominations for 500 restaurants were received in the contest. The final winners in previous years are: 2017 – The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ, Storm Lake; 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant, Adair; 2015 – The Cider House, Fairfield; 2014 – Brick City Grill, Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille, Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III, Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck, Dexter; 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company, Sac City.