MODELING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN EUROPE

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive review and comparative analysis of mathematical models used to analyze sustainable agricultural development in the United States and developed Western European countries. The author systematizes the conceptual differences in understanding sustainable development in the agricultural sector: while the United States emphasizes economic efficiency and environmental safety, the EU’s approach is more socially oriented and significantly stricter in environmental regulation, as reflected in the Green Deal strategies. The main content of the paper is devoted to a detailed description of key dynamic models. In the United States, field-level biophysical models (SWAT, EPIC, DAYCENT) and national-scale partial equilibrium models (FASOM, APEX) predominate. European modeling is represented by complex integrated systems such as CAPRI (an EU agricultural policy model), RAUMIS (a regional agricultural policy model in Germany), AROPAj (a model for analyzing agrifood systems in France and the EU), FAPRI-UK (for assessing the effectiveness of measures to reduce nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions in UK agriculture), and MITERRA (for assessing the effectiveness of measures to reduce nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions in Dutch agriculture). For each model, its mathematical structure, objective function, and practical application examples are described—from assessing buffer zones in the Mississippi River basin to analyzing the impact of Brexit on British sheep farming. The conclusions emphasize that all the models reviewed integrate economic and environmental aspects but generally do not include a social component. The high specialization of the models and their dependence on national priorities are noted, as well as a general trend toward integrating hydrological, biological, and economic components into unified dynamic systems to support policymaking.