Entries are being sought for the 20th annual North Carolina Turkey Cooking Contest to be held September 14 in Raeford.

Five finalists will be selected to receive an expense paid trip to prepare their recipe during a contest cookoff. A total of $2,400 in cash prizes will be awarded with the first place winner taking home $1,000. The second place winner will receive $500, and the third place winner will receive $400. The fourth and fifth place runners-up will each receive $250.

The deadline for submitting recipes is May 1. The recipe should use at least 1 pound of turkey meat. It can be marinated, baked, broiled, grilled, stir-fried, fried, etc., and should serve four or more people. Recipes will be judged on taste, appearance, simplicity and appeal.

Each recipe submitted should include the person's name, address and telephone number. Mail recipes to: Turkey Contest, North Carolina Turkey Federation, 4020 Barrett Drive, Suite 102, Raleigh, NC 27609. More information can be obtained by contacting the federation at the above address, or at 919-783- 8218.

North Carolina is the US's number one turkey producing state with production in excess of 50 million birds per year. Today's male turkeys reach market weight of about 30 pounds at about 16 weeks of age. It takes only about 70 pounds of feed to grow one of these big turkeys which are mainly used for further processed products. Chatham county produced over 300 thousand turkeys last year, which were worth about two million dollars at the farm level.