Costello named ag chief

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Gov. J.B. Pritzker appointed Jerry Costello II as director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Costello, of Smithton, joins the governor’s cabinet from his position as the director of law enforcement for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which he had held since May 2019.

He represented the 116th District in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, during which he served as chairman the Agriculture and Conservation Committee. He also served on the Pritzker-Stratton Agriculture Transition Committee.

He graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and joined the U.S. Army, serving during Operation Desert Storm as part of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

Following his military service in Iraq, Costello returned to Illinois where he became a police officer and started a family. Initially a patrolman, he would rise through the ranks and become assistant police chief.

Born and raised in southern Illinois, his family has a small farm in Franklin County, producing crops and raising cattle. Costello and his wife, Lori, have three children.

“With farming playing an important role in his family’s history and a career of public service, there’s no better person to lead the Illinois Department of Agriculture at this time than Jerry Costello,” Pritzker said.

“Our agriculture sector drives our state’s economy to the tune of $19 billion every year, and I’m confident that Jerry’s deep experience will bring a steady hand to the department and continue the impressive growth of this vital industry.”

“I’m honored to continue serving the people of Illinois and excited to take the helm at the department I once oversaw in the state legislature,” Costello said.

“As a leading producer of soybeans, corn and swine, Illinois is home to the most dedicated farmers in the world, and I look forward to partnering with them to grow our state’s agricultural economy.”

“We look forward to working with Director Costello in his new role. Since his election, the governor has worked hard to choose people to run the Department of Agriculture who take pride in ensuring that the agricultural community is well represented. We believe Jerry Costello will continue in that tradition,” said Richard Guebert, Jr., Illinois Farm Bureau president.

“Jerry Costello has a proven record in supporting agriculture. In his time serving in the General Assembly, he not only supported agriculture by his votes on key legislation important to agriculture, but he also championed many supportive efforts. Items like enhancing tax incentives for biofuels, grant programs for agricultural education teachers, increasing access to highways for agricultural commodities and advocating for key items in the state budget for agriculture, to mention a few. We look forward to working with Director Costello in his new role as director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.”

Costello’s appointment is pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

Jeremy Flynn, Pritzker’s chief of staff, served as the agriculture department’s acting director following the resignation of John Sullivan in January.