Despite farm production systems and regulations constantly changing, managers tend to concentrate on immediate decisions. But with this changing world managers should increasingly consider longer-run core changes to their products and systems. This is the world of strategic planning.

Given changes occur in small steps, this strategic position is often neglected. Selecting future systems, products and resources takes careful thought and analysis. This book is all about these strategic decisions: what to look for, assessing the future, analysing possible plans, and making appropriate decisions. The farmer in control of strategic planning will be one step ahead in meeting goals of the farm family and any other owners.

This book is not a straightforward textbook. It tells the story of a couple who take part in an expert-guided assessment of their longer-run goals and option selection. The couple are searching for a new property after family adjustments. The processes covered apply equally to existing farms.

The first two books in this management series cover a manager’s personal attributes associated with successful tactical management. This book is a sequel. It continues the story of the farmers, consultants and experts in the previous books. The first two books emphasize gaining the knowledge necessary for tactical decisions. In this book, the emphasis has shifted to the methods and procedures for strategic planning.

In the process the couple interact with farming friends and advisors. Each chapter covers a common issue facing farmers in strategic planning (e.g. regenerative farming, modern technology assessment, futures approach, pollution control, investment analysis). Research, logic, and theory give the analytical and system procedures necessary for strategic planning. Well-tried approaches are featured. Each topic is referenced in chapter addendums providing formal discussions, structure and theory.

This book is for all farmers. And provides a resource for farm management/agribusiness students by supporting a series of lectures. References are provided along with lecture guides and exercises available on the CABI Digital Library.