Working papers

Postharvest Losses from Temperature During Transit: Evidence from a Million Truckloads (With Tim Beatty)


We estimate the effect of weather and climate change on postharvest losses from data on 1.4 million truckloads of processing tomatoes in California. Our reduced-form estimation strategy compares processing tomatoes grown in the same field in the same season but experience different weather and traffic conditions during transit. Hot temperatures during transportation damage product quality, particularly when hot temperatures coincide with heavy traffic. When we compare best- and worst-case temperature and traffic conditions, the average rate of damage doubles and truckload profits decline by 1.3%. We predict climate change will increase postharvest losses by century’s end absent additional adaptation.

Margins of Response to Water Scarcity in Irrigated Agriculture


Irrigated agriculture is vital for food security, but it relies on an increasingly variable and scarce water supply. I study the effect of water scarcity on farmers’ extensive and intensive margins using novel data on hundreds of farmers in California. These data provide evidence of the mechanisms by which growers use water more efficiently—insights unattainable in publicly available or survey data. I find that during a water scarce year, growers engage in both intensive and extensive margin adjustments. This work demonstrates agricultural producers engage in water-saving practices more than what has been previously found and that these practices help growers avoid fallowing, a more costly response.

Publications

Whitnall, S. C. & T. K. M. Beatty (2025). Climate Change and Field-Level Crop Quality, Yield, and Revenue. Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists. Link.
Press: National Geographic.

Whitnall, S. C. & J. M. Alston (2025). Climate, weather, and collective reputation: Implications for California’s wine prices and quality. Journal of Wine Economics, 20, 122–167. Companion piece to HDSR publication. Link.

Whitnall, S. C. & J. M. Alston (2025). Implications of Climate Change for Prices of Ultra-Premium Cabernet Sauvignon Wines From California. Harvard Data Science Review, 7(2). Companion piece to JWE publication. Link.

Cuffey, J., K. Newby, & S. Smith (2024). Social Inequity in Administrative Frictions: Evidence from SNAP. Public Administration Review, 84(2), 338-356. Link.

Smith, S. C. & D. Ubilava (2017). The El Niño Southern Oscillation Cycle and Growth in the Developing World. Global Environmental Change 45, 151-164. Link.

Outreach Material

Ricketts, K. & S. Whitnall (2025). From Heat Stress to Economic Stress: Exploring the Future of Australian Agricultural Labour and Productivity. Farm Policy Journal, Australian Farm Institute. Link.

Smith, S. (2017). Wheat. Agricultural Commodities: December quarter 2017 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. (2017). Wheat quality explained. Agricultural Commodities: September quarter 2017 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. (2017). Wheat. Agricultural Commodities: September quarter 2017 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. (2017). Wheat. Agricultural Commodities: June quarter 2017 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. (2017). Wheat outlook. Agricultural Commodities: March quarter 2017 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. & A. Cameron (2017). Horticulture outlook. Agricultural Commodities: March quarter 2017 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Brown, A., J. Fell, S. Smith & H. Valle (2016). Australian grains: Outlook for 2016–17 and industry productivity. ABARES report prepared for the Grains Research and Development Corporation ABARES, Canberra.

Smith, S. (2016). Wheat. Agricultural Commodities: December quarter 2016 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. (2016). The EU almond industry. Agricultural Commodities: September quarter 2016 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. (2016). Wheat. Agricultural Commodities: September quarter 2016 ABARES, Canberra. Link.

Smith, S. & J. Hogan (2016). Trade in fresh fruit and vegetables. Agricultural Commodities: June quarter 2016 ABARES, Canberra. Link.