Aspiring hemp growers are stuck in a tricky gray area these days. While some states have given the go-ahead to growing and processing the plant, a blanket ban still exists at the federal level.

Proponents say industrial hemp could be the country’s next cash crop. But farmers are unable to plant without fear of retribution, given hemp’s listing as a controlled substance. Not to mention the frequent opposition from law enforcement.

Local police departments and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency have said industrial hemp could thwart large-scale drug busts. They’re worried that scofflaw farmers will plant a field of hemp while hiding marijuana within the rows.

Marijuana and hemp look the same, but differ in chemical make up. The hemp plant is mostly used for its fiber, in products like clothing and lotions. Hemp only has trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana.

In Colorado, a state set to be the first in the country to tax and regulate marijuana for recreational use, agriculture officials are asking anxious farmers to be patient. There’s still work to be done before hemp growers can register with the state’s agriculture department.