Thousands gathered in Sioux City, IA, this weekend to slake their appetite for tasty wholesome hamburgers, while showing their support for local ground beef producer, BPI. Hosted by the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, attendees were both fed and educated on the process, healthfulness and wholesomeness of lean finely textured beef.

It’s a USDA-approved process and product in use for two decades. It utilizes high-technology food processing equipment to separate lean meat from fat. Doing so garners an additional 12 lbs. of lean beef/carcass, and delivers an additional $15/carcass in value. Photos by Loretta Sorensen, a freelance reporter from Yankton, SD.