Love burgers? Nominate one to be Iowa’s Best Burger!

AMES, IOWA– Iowa burger lovers are encouraged to join this year's quest for Iowa's Best Burger.

Almost every Iowa restaurant, whether it's the neighborhood Mom and Pop joint, or an exclusive white table cloth establishment, has some variation of the hamburger on their menu. So for the third year, the Iowa Cattlemen's Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council are kicking off their search for Iowa's Best Burger.

Today's official kickoff is taking place at the Iowa Beef Expo on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, and will continue through March 16.

“We're looking for the best burger served in an Iowa restaurant,” said Elaine Utesch, a Correctionville farmer who is chairman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. Utesch, who is both a cow-calf producer and cattle feeder, said the entries need to be 100% beef burgers. “Although burgers are often standard fare, we know from experience that the winners of this contest serve fabulous burgers. There's nothing standard about them.”

Details about the contest rules and nomination procedures are on the Iowa Beef Industry Council's website, www.iabeef.org. Nominations can also be made through the Iowa Beef Industry Council's Facebook page.

The more nominations a burger receives, the better are the chances that it will be on the top 10 list announced in late March. Finalists will receive a certificate and be eligible for the secret taste-test of contest judges. The winner will be announced the first week of May to kick-off Beef Month.

Last year, 275 restaurants were named by 3,500 nominations. The winner was the Rusty Duck in Dexter, while Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City won the inaugural event in 2010.