Protecting Farms, Supporting Families, and Serving Agriculture with Donna Hughes

Ag Women Connect "Ag Talk, Your Story Matters!"

Ag Women Connect "Ag Talk, Your Story Matters!"
Protecting Farms, Supporting Families, and Serving Agriculture with Donna Hughes
Jun 23, 2026
Venessa Wood

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What does a girl from the suburbs of Chicago know about agriculture?

For Donna Hughes, the answer became an entire career.

In this episode of AgTalk: Your Story Matters, Venessa Wood sits down with longtime friend and agriculture advocate Donna Hughes of StoneX to discuss her remarkable journey from an industrial Chicago neighborhood to becoming a trusted advisor for farmers and ranchers across Texas.

Donna shares how a temporary job at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange changed the course of her life, introducing her to commodity markets, agricultural risk management, and the people who helped shape her career. What began as a short-term plan to save money for a move to New York ultimately turned into a 35-year career helping producers navigate market uncertainty and protect their operations.

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