From the Southeast to New England, the Pacific Northwest to the mid-Atlantic, and most places in between, states are embracing hemp as a welcome alternative for growers struggling with low commodity prices.

Producers will be allowed to import hemp seeds after a procedural correction from the Department of Agriculture corrected a state of limbo for the industry.

The delay in passing and implementing the 2018 farm bill has left hemp producers and state departments of agriculture dealing with a world of uncertainty regarding everything from importing seed to providing guidance to law enforcement about how to regulate the transportation of hemp across state lines.

The Farm Credit Administration will issue guidance as soon as next week to system institutions on lending to producers who are clamoring to get financing for industrial hemp, but the commodity’s future remains clouded by regulatory hurdles.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has vetoed legislation to start the process of allowing industrial hemp growth there, saying the state is “not yet ready” for the crop.

The legalization of hemp in the 2018 farm bill has led to enthusiasm for the plant’s market prospects, but experts say farmers need to be careful before they leap headlong into the industry.