DMA Inc. processes corn into corn starch and corn syrup. The company's productivity and cost standards follow:

• From every bushel of corn processed, 11 pounds of starch and 3 pounds of syrup should be produced.
• Standard direct labor and variable overhead total $0.57 per bushel of corn processed.
• Standard fixed overhead (the predetermined fixed overhead application rate) is $0.38 per bushel processed.

Required: a. Calculate the standard absorption cost per pound for the starch and syrup produced from the processing of 13,500 bushels of corn if the average cost per bushel is $2.53. (Do not round intermediate calculations. Round final answer to 3 decimal places.)

b. Comment about the usefulness of this standard cost for management planning and control purposes.