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Abstract
While traditional economic analysis is a look back on past events and relationships, the motivation for strategic planning is to look forward. An example, based on the ethanol and distillers’ grain industry, illustrates the kind of analysis that can used for strategic planning by agribusiness firms and non-governmental organizations. It is expected that the current U.S. monetary policy of expanding the money supply, a Renewable Fuel Standard mandating 15 billion gallons of ethanol, and a growing export market for distillers' grains could potentially result in the future production of ethanol and distillers' grain that would be well above a normal trend. The corresponding derived demand for corn, relative to the normal increases in supply, would significantly affect the price levels for corn.