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Hillari Mason

Market Analyst, Pro Farmer

Hillari grew up on a family farm in southern Illinois, where she learned to love agriculture and its lifestyle from a young age. Hillari graduated from Murray State University in 2012 and began working for Cargill as a grain merchandiser shortly thereafter. Her time there yielded expansive market knowledge, producer relationships and series 3 and 30 licenses. Hillari joined Pro Farmer in June 2022 and received her master of business administration from the University of Southern Indiana in 2023. Hillari lives on her own farm in southern Indiana and spends the bulk of her days studying futures markets.

Latest Stories
Chip Flory reports low ear populations and mediocre pod counts into western Iowa, while Brent Judisch notes reduced corn yields from July heat but strong soybean potential.
Scouts measured average corn yield potential of 183.54 bu. per acre. Pod counts in a 3’x3’ square averaged 1318.64.
Scouts measured average corn yield potential of 163.61 bu. per acre. Pod counts in a 3’x3’ square averaged 1219.62.
Brent Judisch and Chip Flory report plenty of moisture, tipback in corn and some unimpressive soybean pod counts in Nebraska.
On Day 2 of the Crop Tour, Lane Akre and Kyle Wendlund uncovered some flooding, storm damage and pollination issues in western Indiana into central Illinois.
Scouts measured average corn yield potential of 180.18 bu. per acre, down from 185.69 bpa (3%) in 2025 and the 3-year average of 184.31 bpa (2.2%). Pod counts in a 3’x3’ square averaged 1,186.3, down from 1,287.28 (7%) in 2025 and the three-year average of 1,256.71 (4.7%).
Scouts measured average corn yield potential of 149.09 bu. per acre, down from 174.18 bpa (14.4%) in 2025 and the three-year average of 162.7 bpa (8.4%). Pod counts in a 3’x3’ square averaged 945.98, down from 1,188.45 (20.4%) in 2025 and the three-year average of 1,075.78 (12.07%).
Tour leader Chip Flory and consultant Brent Judisch paint a picture of what they’ve seen in South Dakota and Nebraska on Day 1 of the Crop Tour.
Tour leader Lane Akre and consultant Kyle Wendlund recount what they’ve observed in Ohio and Indiana on Day one of the Crop Tour.
USDA’s corn yield and ending stocks pegs landed below the average pre-report estimate, with harvested corn acres up by 1.2 million. Soybean production was slightly higher than expected despite a 0.3 bu. cut to yield due to a 1.4-million-acre-increase in harvested acres.