Hosting Beef Cook-Off is an Honor for South Dakota

  PIERRE (Feb. 21, 2005)—It’s not everyday that one of the three top cooking contests in the nation comes to South Dakota, and that’s the message the hosts of the National Beef Cook-Off® took to various state agencies in Pierre recently.

            When the National Beef Cook-Off is held in Rapid City September 19-21, the event will bring national attention and visitors from across the country to the Mount Rushmore State . The Cook-Off, held every two years, means a total of $110,000 in prize money distributed to eight winning recipes from 20 finalists—including a “Best of Beef” grand prize worth $50,000 in cash. It will also be an opportunity to showcase South Dakota tourism and agriculture.

            Members of the Cook-Off’s South Dakota Host State Steering Committee met with representatives from the departments of Agriculture and Tourism and State Development on February 16, sharing information about the Cook-Off, activities planned during the three-day event, and asking for their agencies’ support. The reception was positive.

"Serving as the host site for the 2005 National Beef Cook-Off is a huge honor for South Dakota ," said Jafar Karim, deputy secretary of the Department of Tourism and State Development. "We were impressed with the enthusiasm and professionalism that the steering committee exhibited at our meeting. The State of South Dakota is excited to help promote this event. It's a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase our state."

South Dakota Agriculture Secretary Larry Gabriel and his staff agree. "Having the Cook-Off coming to the heart of beef country this fall is exceptional timing,” says Gabriel, who sat in on part of the meeting. “Our efforts are focused on the development of our beef industry through the South Dakota Certified program. This is an excellent pairing of resources to accomplish this common objective in front of the entire country."

            Karla Pazour, a Pukwana rancher and a co-chair of the state steering committee, was pleased with the interest shown by those attending the meeting. “We had an excellent response from the various agencies and are excited to have their support in this prestigious event,” says Pazour. “They understand it’s a win-win for the beef industry and the state of South Dakota .”

For nearly three decades, the Cook-Off has been America ’s premier amateur beef-cooking contest. It is funded in part by America ’s Beef Producers through their $1-per-head checkoff, and is organized on the national level by the American National CattleWomen, Inc. It is an integral part of the beef industry’s efforts to educate the public and reinforce positive perceptions about beef by showcasing the ease and versatility of cooking with beef.

Held in a different city every two years, South Dakota was asked to host this year’s event. As the host, the South Dakota steering committee plans in-state events and raises funds to help defray costs. The South Dakota Beef Industry Council has contributed in-state checkoff dollars toward the educational and promotional project.

In addition to the cooking contest, the event will include an evening at Mount Rushmore to showcase South Dakota tourism and a visit to the Synder Family Ranch near Sturgis to highlight the state’s beef industry.

South Dakota amateur cooks are also encouraged to enter the contest by submitting their recipes by March 30, 2005. To find out more about entry requirements and the four categories, visit www.beefcookoff.org

In addition to Pazour, members of the South Dakota steering committee include: co-chair Nancy Stirling Neuhauser, Midland ; Diane Booth, Ridgeview; Becky Walth, Glenham; Pat Blum, Reliance; and Helen Magnusson, Rapid City .