The Arkansas Beef Council announced on June 7 the launch of the 2026 Arkansas’s Best Burger Contest, a statewide initiative to recognize restaurants that excel in preparing 100% beef burgers.
According to the announcement, Arkansans can nominate their favorite burger at arkansasbeef.org. Nominations are open through April 30, 2026, with one nomination allowed per day per email address. The contest aims to promote high-quality beef and support local cattle producers.
Caleb Plyler, a beef producer in Hempstead County and Chairman of the Arkansas Beef Council, said, “We’re thrilled to bring back Arkansas’s Best Burger Contest and shine a light on the restaurants that take pride in serving high-quality, 100% Arkansas beef. This contest isn’t just about great burgers, it’s about celebrating the farmers and ranchers who raise our cattle, the restaurants that elevate beef on their menus, and the communities that support them. Arkansas knows good beef, and we can’t wait to see which burger rises to the top.”
To qualify for nomination, burgers must be made from 100% beef and appear on a restaurant’s regular or special menu during the contest period. Restaurants with multiple locations will have nominations counted individually for each site. Regional finalists will be selected before announcing a statewide winner in May. Past winners include Johnson’s Country Cookin’ in Melbourne for its Big Daddy Burger and Bailey’s Family Restaurant in Cave City for its Caveman Burger.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture oversees funding through boards that allocate millions for research, extension and market development in commodities such as rice and soybeans,according to the official website. The department manages an agricultural sector contributing more than $24.3 billion annually with about 37,400 farms spanning roughly 13.7 million acres,according to the official website. It also promotes access to safe water supplies,maintains reforestation efforts through Baucum Nursery, honors outstanding forest management with annual recognition programs,and serves as a state agency focused on resource conservation.
More information about the contest is available at the organization’s press release.
