CHAMPAIGN, Ill., (WCIA) — Weather can have a strong impact on farmers and their crops, and one official with the Champaign County Farm Bureau said many people were able to get an early start this season.

Bailey Conrady, the farm bureau manager, said frost and up-and-down temperatures helped with that early start. She said as long as the crops aren’t up, they can normally handle the cold.

With this weekend’s nice weather ahead, Conrady said everyone needs to be alert when farmers are out doing their jobs.

“I know everyone’s going to want to be out enjoying this beautiful weather but I would reiterate to please just be safe, give the farmers plenty of space on the roads,” Conrady added.

So far this year, she said farmers are ahead in planting. An early window of good weather in April helped many farmers get their early starts.