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Illinois Director of Agriculture
| Illinois Director of Agriculture | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $181,800 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $199,604,800 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 2 years |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the governor |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Illinois Director of Agriculture
Jerry Costello | |
| Other Illinois Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Comptroller • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Director • Insurance Director • Natural Resources Director • Labor Director • Illinois Commerce Commission | |
The Illinois Director of Agriculture is a state executive position in the Illinois state government. The Department of Agriculture works to promote and regulate agriculture in a manner which encourages farming and agribusiness while protecting Illinois' consumers and natural resources.[1] The director is appointed by the governor, and has no term limits.
Current officeholder
The current Illinois Director of Agriculture is Jerry Costello (nonpartisan). Costello assumed office in 2020.
Authority
The position of the Illinois Director of Agriculture was created in Article V of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.[2]
Article V, Section 5-20:
| Each department shall have an officer as its head who shall be known as director or secretary and who shall, subject to the provisions of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, execute the powers and discharge the duties vested by law in his or her respective department. The following officers are hereby created: [...] Director of Agriculture, for the Department of Agriculture. |
Qualifications
| "The executive and administrative officers, whose offices are created by this Act, must have the qualifications prescribed by law..."[3] |
Appointments
Article V, Section 9 of the Illinois Constitution establishes the governor's power to appoint the Illinois Director of Agriculture:
Governor - Appointing Power
|
Vacancies
Article V, Section 9 of the Illinois Constitution establishes the governor's power to make a temporary appointment to the office in the case of a vacancy:
| Governor - Appointing Power
"If, during a recess of the Senate, there is a vacancy in an office filled by appointment by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when he shall make a nomination to fill such office." |
Duties
As the head of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the director is responsible for ensuring the duties of the department are carried out. These duties are largely established in Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chapter 20, Act 20.205. Some of these duties include:
- Encouraging and promoting the interests of agriculture and its allied industries
- Establishing and maintaining trust funds an bank accounts for the conduct of food shows, food expositions, trade shows
- Selling signs to farms that have been owned for 100 or 150 years by descendants of the same family
- Promoting improved farming and related industry methods to facilitate greater production and distribution of their products at lower costs
- Promoting agriculture and related industries at the Illinois State Fair
- Collecting and publishing production and marketing statistics for farming and related industries
- Using and promoting agricultural crops for the production of alcohol fuels
- Administrating animal welfare acts
- Providing laboratory services for the diagnosis of animal diseases and for the analysis of feeds, fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides and to perform related laboratory services[4]
Division
As of January 19, 2021, there are five main divisions within the Department of Agriculture:[5]
- Consumer Services
- Food Inspection
- Weights and Measurements Certification
- Motor Fuel Quality Testing
- Marketing and Promotion
- Agricultural Statistics and Market News
- Agricultural Marketing
- State and County Fair Promotion
- Horse Racing Administration
- Animal Industries
- Animal Health and Welfare
- Natural Resources
- Environmental Programs
- Land and Water Resources
- Agricultural and Industry Regulation
- Agricultural Products Inspection
- Grain Dealer and Warehouse Inspection and Licensure
State budget
- See also: Illinois state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2025 was $199,604,800.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $181,800, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $159,600, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $157,200, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $157,200, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $133,273, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $133,273, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $133,273, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2016
In 2016, the commissioner received a salary of $133,273, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2015
In 2015, the commissioner received a salary $133,273, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2014
In 2014, the director received a salary of $133,273, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2013
In 2013, the director received a salary of $105,432, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2012
In 2012, the director received a salary of $133,273, according to the Council of State Governments.
2010
In 2010, the director received a salary of $133,300, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Illinois Director of Agriculture has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Illinois Director of Agriculture. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
State of Illinois Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 19281
State Fairgrounds
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
Phone: (217) 782-2172
TTY number: (217) 524-6858
Fax: (217) 785-4505
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Illinois Department of Agriculture, "History of the Illinois Department of Agriculture" accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "(20 ILCS 5/) Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. (General Provisions and Departments of State Government)," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "(20 ILCS 5/) Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. (General Provisions and Departments of State Government)," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Illinois Compiled Statutes, "Chapter 20, Act 20,205," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Illinois Department of Agriculture, "Programs and Services" accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ State of Illinois Office of Management and Budget, "Fiscal Year 2025 Budget," accessed January 16, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed September 5, 2012
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