RALEIGH - If you love the Tar Heel state and love to eat, good news: The North Carolina Department of Agriculture is starting its "Dig Into Local" menu contest. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler says the contest will ask restaurants to submit the menus with North Carolina ingredients.

"The promotion works really well with the trend we see in restaurants today," Troxler says. "Locally sourced meats, seafood and produce continue to be the top-ranked trends in today's ever-changing restaurant scene."

Judges will assess restaurants' menus based on how well they adhere to the consumption of local ingredients.

"These include clearly identifying North Carolina agri-products, farms and manufacturing, highlighting seasonal produce, identifying items with unique regional connections, using multiple courses featuring North Carolina ingredients and offering a good balance of North Carolina products across protein, grain and produce," Troxler says.

Contest rules also include local beers, wines and other spirits in restaurant menus.

Judges for the contest will come from the Department of Agriculture but Troxler says this contest will also give residents a chance to explore the restaurants themselves.

"These are going to be regular menu items that will be featured in restaurants all across North Carolina for North Carolinians to enjoy," he says. "We hope even some of our tourists come in and enjoy these menus items."

The deadline for restaurants to apply is May 31 with judges -- and residents -- studying and eating from menus throughout the summer.

"The top 10 menus are going to be recognized in October and there are cash prizes awarded to the top five restaurants in North Carolina," he says.

For more information on how to apply or to find competing restaurants, go to GotToBeNC.com/DigIntoLocal.