A Kansas-based organization that serves complimentary steaks to thousands of soldiers and their families was a 2012 Prime Promoter Award recipient at the recent South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) annual meeting.

The Prime Promoter Award is given each year to individuals, businesses and organizations that do an extraordinary job of promoting beef and the beef industry. This year, the All-American Beef Battalion (AABB) was honored after it came to South Dakota in May 2011 and fed 185 South Dakota National Guard’s 200th Engineer Company troops and their families before the soldiers left for a one-year deployment to Afghanistan. The award also recognized the many South Dakota volunteers like Kelly Landis of Trail City, who helped bring the Steak for Troops event to South Dakota by raising approximately $12,000 and donating their time.

The AABB brought 400 18-20-oz. rib-eye steaks and 100 lbs. of Certified Angus Beef quarter-pound hot dogs to the South Dakota event, but ended up having to cut some of the steaks in half and getting additional food when the number of participants in the National Guard Armory in Pierre swelled to around 800.

Bill Broadie, a Kansas beef producer and Vietnam veteran, started AABB several years ago to honor U.S. troops and thank them for their service with a steak meal. Since then the organization has provided steaks to more than 80,000 troops. Broadie was on hand during the Prime Promoter Luncheon at the Swiftel Center in Brookings September 29 to receive the award on behalf of the organization.

Other Prime Promoter recipients this year were Clark Braun, certified executive chef at Alpine Inn in Hill City, SD, and Kip and Michelle Pharis, owners of the Pizza Ranch and BraVo’s restaurants in Brookings. SDSU Meat Extension Specialist Keith Underwood received the 2012 Distinguished Service Award for spearheading the BBQ Boot Camp program and serving as an effective advocate and spokesperson for the beef industry.

The SDBIC Prime Promoter luncheon is held each year as part of the Beef Bowl celebration at SDSU. Award recipients this year were also recognized during the SDSU vs. Missouri State University football game.

Nominations for the Prime Promoter Award are accepted each year from the public. Award recipients are selected by the SDBIC Prime Promoter Committee. Anyone interested in nominating an individual, organization or business for a Prime Promoter Award can contact the SDBIC office at 605-224-4722, or e-mail [email protected] to request more information and a nomination form.