Editor’s note: Agricultural leaders across the state attending the annual Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable in Bloomington heard the following message.

All of us working together is extra important. We need to try to work together and stay focused on the core issues.

When I got in there (the Illinois of Representatives), there were 64 Democrats in the House (out of 118) and 35 Democrats (out of 59) in the Senate. Today there are 78 Democrats in the House and 40 in the Senate.

Understanding the number is important when building bridges and making relationships with people. If we don’t work together and don’t focus, there will be a lot of wheels spinning.

Former Illinois Sen. Dave Luchtefeld (R-Okawville) once told me, “On a clear day, 67% of the people in the state can see the Sears Tower.”

Today, 66% of the people can see the Sears Tower (in Chicago). That means that 66% of the legislators are in Cook and the collar counties. I look forward to working on a number of issues together.

Jerry Costello II serves as Illinois director of agriculture and previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2012 to 2019, and for a large part of those years as the chairperson of the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee.