Wichita ? Kansas farmers have so far received nearly $1 million in insurance payments for 2003 wheat losses, a dramatic drop from the $24 million paid by this time last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s risk management agency said Monday.

Scattered hail and lack of rain in parts of the state have taken a far smaller toll this year than last year’s drought.

As the wheat harvest was starting last year, about 2,800 Kansas farmers had already filed claims for lost crops. This year, just 140 farmers have put in crop insurance claims, receiving $929,318 as of May 26, and the start of the harvest is just days away.

No claims have been filed for Douglas County. Osage County is the only area county reporting losses, which total $1,025.

“Based on what we have seen on the wheat tour through Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado, I think we can expect some pretty darn good wheat in a lot of areas of the state,” said Gene Foland, of the agency.