The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) issued today 48 craft grow licenses to finally close the second round of applications. The list of new awardees can be found below. According to IDOA, one hundred percent of new licenses were issued to Social Equity Applicants. Of the newly issued 48 craft grow licenses, 42% (20) are majority black-owned, 36% (17) are majority white-owned, 8% (4) are majority hispanic-owned, and 8% are owned by a partnership group. Six percent of awardees did not provide that information.

The review and scoring process for all adult use cannabis applications for craft growers, infusers, and transporters that submitted applications in 2020 is now complete.

“The Department is thrilled to announce the issuance of these licenses,” said Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II. “These licensees now join those licensed by the Department last year to form the foundation of the legal cannabis industry in Illinois, and together will generate thousands of well-paying jobs across the state as they come online…With now a second cohort of 100% social equity licensees, we’re proud to say that we have taken the first steps toward fulfilling the vision of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act passed by the Legislature.”

As of June 1, 2022, IDOA has awarded a total of 341 adult use cannabis licenses for craft growers, infusers, and transporters under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Since 2021, the Department has issued 88 craft grow licenses, 54 infuser licenses, 189 transporter licenses, and approved 10 community colleges to participate in Community College Cannabis Vocational Training Pilot Program. These are in addition to the 21 existing Early Approval Adult Use Cultivation Centers, previously approved under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program.

IDOA received more than 450 applications for craft growers, more than 110 for infusers, and more than 250 for transporters. All applications had to meet all requirements in the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act and the Department’s administrative rules. Due to the limitations on number of licenses to be issued, not all applicants that met the requirements are eligible to receive a license. Licenses must go to top scoring applicants, pursuant to 8 IAC 1300.315(a).

The following are quotes about the 48 craft grow licenses from Illinois politicians

“Illinois’ cannabis industry started out with businesses with owners who all looked the same, but with each new set of licenses, we come closer and closer to realizing our vision for a truly diverse industry,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m especially pleased that 100 percent of these craft grow licensees come from a social equity background, and I look forward to many more businesses opening their doors and creating even more good jobs.”

“Writing the social equity components as well as creating new levels of ownership was no easy task when we set out to legalize adult use cannabis in Illinois, but today we see some of that hard work pay off and our dreams come to fruition with the issuing of the craft grow licenses,” said Representative Sonya Harper (D-Chicago), Chair of the House Agriculture & Conservation Committee and Chair of the Joint Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. “We imagined smaller cultivators being able to compete on their own level in this new marketplace and saw creating this license as one more way to lower the barriers to owning a cannabis business.”

“Diversity in the cannabis industry has been a top priority since the law’s inception,” said State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), Co-Chair of the Joint Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus. “It’s important we give people disproportionately impacted by the harmful War on Drugs strong footing in the industry. That’s why I’m pleased to see 100% of these recent Craft Grow Licenses go to social equity applicants—we’re showing that Illinois takes equity and diversity seriously.”

“As the cannabis industry continues to grow and expand in Illinois, it’s critical that no community is left behind when it comes to jobs, investment and ownership access,” said State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria). “The issuance of these new craft grower licenses marks an ongoing commitment to ensure this process is done fairly and equitably.”

“It is good to see forward progress!” said State Representative La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago). “It has been a difficult process, and I congratulate the latest license winners. And while we may call them ‘license winners,’ the reality is that they didn’t ‘win’ those licenses. They earned those licenses through blood, sweat, and tears over a couple of years. Now, the real work begins. We must ensure that these fledgling businesses have the resources to compete with folks who’ve been in business for years. The real, long-term goal of cannabis legalization was never about licenses. It was about healing communities devastated by a racist War on Drugs. If that’s the real goal here, our work is just beginning.”

“I am pleased to see these licenses begin to get into the hands of the people we had in mind when we began this journey so many years ago,” said State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago). “We have seen the way litigation has impacted the pace of licensing in every state, so I am thankful to see that we are able to move forward and allow this diverse group of entrepreneurs to make their mark on Illinois’ cannabis industry.”

Craft Grower License Awardees pursuant to 410 ILCS 705/30-5(b) included:

33rd Division A Minority Veterans Unit LLC

33rd Division A Minority Veterans Unit LLC

AG PHARM LLC

Allgreens Cultivation LLC

Big Bluestem Ventures LLC

C6 Farms LLC

Charles E. Voss Junior

Cyclone Labs LLC

Dank Creek LLC

Dragon Tail Holding LLC

GCF Industries Inc

Grand Legacy Group LLC

Green Card Veterans of Broadview/Redemption Botanicals Group LLC

Green Card Veterans of Mchenry/Redemption Botanicals Group LLC

Green Monk LLC

Harvard Grow LLC

Herb Haus Holdings I LLC

Herbal Remedies Craft Grow Inc

High Solutions LLC

Hollistic Illinois LLC

INDUS365 Grows LLC

InLabs II LLC

John & Joe Farms

K Town Grow LLC

Lincoln Labs LLC

MCCD Production LLC

Mia’s Heart Collaborative LLC dba RUKA Industries LLC

Nature’s Safe LLC

OPS Boom LLC

Origins Sale Illinois LLC

Prairie State Cannabis LLC

R3 Veteran Flowers LLC

R3 Veteran Flowers LLC

RB Vending Investments LLC

Realeaf Botanicals LLC

Rolling Local Farms LLC

Root 66

Rt 66 Rec LLC

Seven Point Growing of Illinois LLC

The Herbal Care Center

The Herbal Care Center

TWM Equities LLC

Uhcc Inc

Urban Synergy LLC

Vervant Labs LLC

Veteran Cannabis Cultivators LLC

Wyvern Botanicals Inc

ZAKDEL LLC

Note: This list is alphabetical by entity name. Pursuant to 410 ILCS 705/30-5(c), no person or entity shall hold more than 3 craft grower licenses. Further information about the application and scoring process can be found on the Department’s Adult Use Cannabis webpage. For more Illinois cannabis industry news, click here.

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