The Beef Checkoff Program has issued the call for entries for the fifth annual National Foodservice Beef Backer Awards, a prestigious national awards program designed to honor independent restaurants and chains that promote and menu beef creatively.
Through Oct. 3, 2011, foodservice operators can enter to win in one of three categories:
- Chain Operator (10+ units, commercial or noncommercial)
- Independent Operator (commercial or noncommercial)
- Innovator of the Year (chain or independent, commercial or noncommercial)
“With nearly half of U.S. dollars being spent in foodservice, it is important for us to honor foodservice operators who provide their customers with exciting and satisfying meal experiences with beef away from home,” says Scott McGregor, an Iowa-based cattle rancher and chairman of the checkoff’s Joint Foodservice Committee. “We are thrilled to continue to recognize restaurants that go above and beyond with this year’s Beef Backer Awards.”
A panel of foodservice industry professionals will select winners based on submission criteria and awards will be presented at the 2012 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn. In addition to industry recognition, winners receive national promotion via a public-relations campaign targeting local and national print and online media and national foodservice trade outlets.
The 2010 National Foodservice Beef Backer winners included: The Hitching Post I & II in the “Independent Restaurant” category, Home Style Dining LLC, the parent of Ponderosa® Steakhouses and Bonanza® Steakhouses in the “Chain Restaurant” category, and Red The Steakhouse as the “Innovator of the Year.”
The 2011 entry form and contest details can be found by visiting www.BeefFoodservice.com, or by contacting your local State Beef Council.
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
Source:The Beef Checkoff Program