Data and Code for: Adaptation to Environmental Change: Agriculture and the Unexpected Incidence of the Acid Rain Program

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Nicholas J. Sanders, Cornell University; Alan I. Barreca, University of California-Los Angeles

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
  data 12/30/2020 02:59:PM
READ_ME_R1.pdf application/pdf 128 KB 09/13/2021 08:28:AM
acid_crops_AEJ_EP_analysis_R1.do text/plain 81.2 KB 09/13/2021 08:05:AM
acid_crops_AEJ_EP_data_build_R1.do text/plain 81.7 KB 08/03/2021 02:00:PM
acid_crops_AEJ_EP_degreedays.do text/x-stata-syntax 8.2 KB 12/31/2020 08:10:AM
acid_crops_AEJ_EP_replicate_R1.do text/plain 2.6 KB 08/03/2021 01:43:PM
acid_crops_AEJ_EP_table_builder.do text/x-stata-syntax 15.9 KB 12/30/2020 03:20:PM
growing_PRISM_days.dta application/x-stata 35.9 MB 12/28/2020 08:05:AM
ols_spatial_HAC.ado text/plain 18 KB 08/03/2021 01:59:PM
sulfur_v_marginal_drawn.pdf application/pdf 14.5 KB 07/26/2016 07:09:AM

Project Citation: 

Sanders, Nicholas J., and Barreca, Alan I. Data and Code for: Adaptation to Environmental Change: Agriculture and the Unexpected Incidence of the Acid Rain Program. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2022. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2022-01-28. https://doi.org/10.3886/E128541V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary The Acid Rain Program (ARP) cut sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from power plants in the United States, with considerable benefits. We show this also reduced ambient sulfate levels, which lowered agriculture productivity through decreased soil sulfur. Using plant-level SO2 emissions and an atmospheric transport model, we estimate the relationship between airborne sulfate levels and yields for corn and soybean. We estimate crop revenue losses for these two crops around $1-1.5 billion per year, with accompanying decreases in land value. Back of the envelope calculations of the costs to replace lost sulfur suggest producer responses were limited and suboptimal.


Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms economics; air pollution; agricultural productivity
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      Q15 Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
      Q53 Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage United States
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 1/1982 – 12/2017 (Primary data span years 1982-2017)
Collection Date(s):  View help for Collection Date(s) 1/2012 – 12/2020
Universe:  View help for Universe Crop yields in the United States.

Sulfur emissions from power plants in the United States.

Readings from air quality monitors and sulfur deposition monitors in the United States.


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Published Versions

V1 [2022-01-28]

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