The Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds decided to bring diplomacy and bacon together on Feb. 15.

Ambassadors of Belgium, Iceland and Japan took part in a bacon ceremony at the festival before attending the event over the weekend. 

“As the No. 1 pork-producing state in the country, it's no surprise Iowa has earned an international reputation for our Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival," Reynolds said. “I’m honored to ‘break bacon’ with delegations from Japan, Belgium and Iceland in recognition of our relationships and the importance of trade to our dedicated farmers who feed and fuel the world.”

The international dignitaries presented gifts to their Iowa hosts. Brooks Reynolds, the bacon festival co-founder gave the ambassadors a warm welcome.

“Each country will host a Bacon Embassy Booth in the Bacon Fellowship Hall where local bacon-lovers and our International Bacon Ambassadors can meet, exchange gifts, and share in ‘OHHHH, BACON!’ cheers,” Brooks Reynolds said.