Wheat, canola and some smaller Kansas crops had a difficult year in 2014, but overall payouts are on track to be smaller than in recent years. Not all 2014 claims have been processed yet, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the total for Kansas isn’t likely to rise substantially from $602 million in claims paid so far. That would be down dramatically from $956 million in claims in 2013, $1.4 billion in 2012 and $1.1 billion in 2011. Crop insurance guards against losses to bad weather, natural disasters and insects or disease, provided the damage wasn’t due to the farmer failing to spray properly.