The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency issued more than $242.5 million in program payments to Montana producers from Oct. 1, 2006-Sept. 20, 2007.

The biggest share, more than $117.5 million, was paid to conservation programs, with the Conservation Reserve Program receiving the lion's share, $116.5 million, FSA announced.

CRP remains USDA's single largest environmental improvement program, as well as its most effective, report FSA officials in Montana.

In other conservation programs FSA issued more than $126,000 under the Grassland Reserve Program, nearly $775,000 for Emergency Conservation Program recipients, and more than $6,600 for Wetlands Reserve Program contracts.

In other Montana program payments, FSA spent $80.5 million on production and compliance projects, including more than $80,400 in Direct and County-cyclical Program efforts, and more than $22,500 under the Hard White Wheat Incentives Program.

Almost $725,000 was paid out for Disaster Assistance programs to help producers recover from drought setbacks and other natural disasters.

Nearly $3.8 million was paid out for price support for Montana growers under the Loan Deficiency Payment program ($1.9 million), Milk Income Loss Contract Extension Program ($419,000), and Market Gains ($1.4 million).

Growers in Chouteau County received the biggest overall total in payments, almost $20 million, followed by Hill County at nearly $17.5 million. Teton County producers received the third largest overall total at more than $10 million, FSA reports.