Supporting small businesses, raising money for human trafficking victims and enjoying delicious beef — the Burger Battle in South Dakota is a win, win, win!

Amanda Radke

February 10, 2021

2 Min Read
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Courtesy: Bread & Circus

It may be bitter cold at home in South Dakota, but that didn’t stop locals from hitting downtown Sioux Falls for the eighth annual Burger Battle.

The 2021 event featured 24+ competitors, doubling the number of participants from the previous year. The event ran through January and encouraged patrons to visit participating downtown restaurants, scoring the tantalizing burger offerings as they dined from pub to pub.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader offered a breakdown of the various burger offerings on the trail. Patrons could enjoy the “Burger Wellington” at Bread & Circus, the “Brie and Apple Burger” at Crawford’s, the “Big Beef Boy” at Fernson Brewing Company, the “Dill-icious Burger” at Ode and many more.

The winning burger with the popular vote was earned by Papa Woody’s with “The Uptowner.”

Check out the article for some fresh burger inspiration for your at-home cooking routine!

In addition to supporting local small businesses at a time where restaurant owners have taken a sizable hit due to the pandemic and consequent restrictions, the Burger Battle also made headlines for raising money for a good cause.

As part of the downtown Sioux Falls Burger Battle, a company called MarketBeat pledged to donate $1/burger sold at all competing restaurants. In total, the event raised $31,000, which was donated to Call to Freedom.

Related:COVID Takeout: Real beef burgers paying the bills at restaurants

Call to Freedom is a South Dakota non-profit organization that provides supportive services for victims and survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. According to Call to Freedom, “Every 30 seconds someone becomes a victim of human trafficking. An estimated 40 million people are in bondage across the globe. And 12-years old is the average age of a trafficking victim.”

These statistics highlight the real need for communities to offer resources and support to organizations like Call to Freedom to address the issue in this country and around the world.

I’ve long said if we are to change hearts and minds about who we are in the beef business, we must look outward in shaping our communities in a positive direction. We must look for ways to do good and be an active part of providing solutions to issues that trouble our neighbors.

This is a perfect example of exactly that! People could enjoy a nice burger out with friends and families, while also supporting small businesses and helping those in need along the way.

Kudos to everyone involved in this event! I would love to learn more about other community outreach events like this one! Please, send me your stories to [email protected].

Related:Game Changers debunked & climate-friendly burgers

The opinions of Amanda Radke are not necessarily those of beefmagazine.com or Farm Progress.

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