Much to the disappointment of the Illinois craft cannabis community, the up to 40 craft grower licenses, 40 infuser licenses, and unlimited number of transportation licenses that were expected to be issued by July 1, 2020 have been delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This suspension is described by Executive Order 2020-45 issued on June 29, 2020 by Governor Pritzker.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) issued their official notice (below).
While the licenses are "temporarily suspended", the executive order and IDOA notices do not provide notice of the next communication, and do not provide a date for when the State intends to issue a decision.
This is a major setback for hopeful applicants with many applicants losing money on a monthly basis through payroll support of employees and the additional costs to hold properties designated for the craft facilities.
Applicants in other states have experienced significant delays in the past, which does not bode well for timely issuance of craft license.