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DELTA COUNTY -- It may have snowed Thursday, but overall it's been an early spring across the U.P.  While it may be enjoyable for most of us, it has its pros and cons for farmers.  It means getting to the fields earlier, but the lack of moisture has some farmers worried.

The Herioux family farms over 1,100 acres to grow feed for about 185 dairy cows.  But less snow this winter and lack of rain this spring has them worried about this year's crop.

"The start in the spring, being dry, we're getting it all in the ground, but germination, it's not going to be equal and normal, which will affect the moisture dry down in the fall; the crop output," explained Wayne Herioux.

And less production means more out of pocket expenses.

"You either have to buy feed in or reduce the number of cows to the feed you've got, that you have on hand, or plant some other late season crops in the summer to make up for the shortfall once the first crop is in," Herioux said.

The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates practically the entire U.P. is considered abnormally dry, and officials say since the first of the year, precipitation is about 50 percent below normal.

"In fact, we've been in a dryer than normal situation for the past couple of years, so we really don't have a whole lot of resource moisture in our lower water supply," explained MSU Extension, Ag Educator, Warren Schauer.

But officials say the drought isn't the only thing to worry about this spring.  The warm temperatures could also affect other types of crops.

"Some of the crops may break dormancy earlier than normal, and some of our fruit crops; in the case of the U.P., our apple trees, if they beak blossom early, then we get a late frost, that could kill the crop for our apple trees," Schauer said.

Despite the hurdles, farmers remain hopeful, especially with some recent snow.  But farmers say if the precipitation doesn't get back to normal...output will certainly suffer.