SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The state capitol building and grounds were awash in a sea of blue and green when hundreds of FFA and 4-H student members and advisers met in Springfield on April 9 for the 2025 Illinois Agricultural Legislative Day.

“Illinois Ag Legislative Day is probably my favorite day at the capitol,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) Director Jerry Costello II, who served as a state legislator for 116th district from 2011 through 2019. He also served as chair of the House Ag and Conservation Committee for over five years and co-chair for two years before being named state ag director in 2020.

“Having 650 blue jackets and 4-H members in the capitol, lobbying and being ambassadors for agriculture, I think there is no more impactful day at the capitol for agriculture. It is 99 percent because of those kids being there, talking to the legislators about the future of agriculture in the state, that we were able to put $550,000 in the budget so that any student taking an ag class in the state of Illinois has their FFA dues paid by the state of Illinois.”

Costello was referring to legislation passed in 2022 that provided the funding to qualify Illinois as an FFA “affiliated” state. “At the end of the day, I would say the future of agriculture in this state looks bright because of the incredible youth we have in ag,” he said. “With the average age of the American farmer increasing, it is so vital to keep youth involved and interested in farming and agriculture.”

As per usual, the scene inside the capital’s massive rotunda area was one of controlled chaos, with hundreds of ag youth group members mixing with state elected legislators, ag commodity group leaders, farm bureau representatives and special interest groups related to farming and the environment.

“There is always something going on at the state capital, but this day is monumental because of the sea of blue,” State FFA Vice-President Brody Will said. “You’ll see that blue corduroy jacket in every hallway, every corridor and room you go into, and you will see an FFA member advocating for the organization.”

In addition to serving as a showcase and rallying opportunity for Illinois ag youth organizations, Legislative Day also provides a variety of agricultural interest groups to call attention to bills of interest that are before the Illinois General Assembly. This year was slightly different for Costello, with an unusual focus on the state legislature’s need to do what they can to ensure all promised federal funding for farmers and farm programs is delivered by the federal government.

“I would say probably the most pressing issue we have are federal funds, and what happens with the federal funds we’ve been promised by the federal government. A lot of them are on hold with the Trump administration. An example would be I-Cover, which is a cover crop program for three states: Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. $25 million, $7 million of which is for the state of Illinois, is on hold right now,” Costello said.

“You can look at RFSI, the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant; $6.4 million was supposed to be used for the middle of the food supply chain after harvest but before retail sales. Those monies are frozen. LFPA, the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, had $43.5 million for the state of Illinois. Of the initial $28.8 million, we’re being told we’ll be able to spend $3 million for reimbursements, but we haven’t seen any of that money yet.

“So, there is a lot of federal money that was counted on by farmers, and some of it has either been terminated or frozen, affecting a number of different programs,” he added.

The IDOA has sent a letter of appeal to the USDA over the termination or suspension of the funds promised to the state’s farmers, according to Costello.

“From a legal standpoint we don’t believe the USDA should be terminating these funds. We have a contractual agreement for those funds, and we’re lobbying and appealing to get those monies.”

For Ag Legislative Day, lawmakers at the capitol were provided a basket filled with agricultural products and a specialty box lunch. This package served to remind lawmakers about the multiple ways in which agriculture affects their lives, the lives of their constituents, and the impact their choices make on the world of agriculture.

Members of the Illinois Democratic Caucus were among the lawmakers who welcomed the students, farmers and special interest groups to the capitol on Ag Legislative Day. “Our farmers are the backbone of our communities,” said State Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield). “Ag Day is an opportunity to build partnerships with those who feed us, build our economy, and supply locally sourced products throughout our communities. Prioritizing farmers, encouraging students to learn about agriculture and uplifting the industry that puts food on our tables is vital.”

State Rep. Neil Anderson (R-Aledo), said, “It is amazing how mature and well-spoken FFA kids are. Love seeing them, love the baskets they provide us. Every product in the basket is home grown in the state of Illinois, and a lot of it comes from my district in west-central Illinois. In the 47th district we have a long history of great kids coming out of the FFA program. I’m really proud to be able to represent those kids.”