Our Team

Staff 

Todd Erling - Executive Director

 

Bio

With an academic background in environmental design and planning from Miami University and the Pratt Institute, years of experience in community and economic development, and growing up in the family orchards, Todd brings a holistic approach to agribusiness development. Todd lives on his wife’s family farm in Southern Columbia County and has hands-on knowledge of the challenges to the Valley’s agriculture while applying practical Economic Development programs and projects to protect and preserve open space by keeping farmers in business. With HVADC’s Board of Directors, Todd has developed the first regional entity to focus on farms and local food business as economic development in the Hudson Valley. HVADC has grown to having multi-year service contracts with 8 counties’ economic development offices and raising over $4 million since 2007 for programs and service to assist ag-related/ag-dependent businesses in the region. HVADC has assisted projects in accessing over $30 million in funding.

 

Appointments, Board Memberships, and Affiliations

• NYC Capital Region Economic Development Council—Governor Cuomo

• Agricultural Working Group—US Senator Gillibrand

• Agricultural Advisory Board—US Congressman Delgado

• Agricultural Advisory Board—US Congressman Maloney

• Agricultural Advisory Committee—NYS Assemblywoman Barrett

• NYS Hudson River Estuary Management Council Member—Commissioner Martens

• AFT Farm to Institution New York State (FINYS)—Leadership Committee Member

• Hudson Mohawk Resource Conservation and Development Council—Board Member

• Farming our Future Regional Annual Conference—Steering Committee Founding Member

• Columbia County Cornell Cooperative Extension—Nominating Committee Member

• Columbia County Farm Bureau—Board Member

• Columbia County Bounty—Founding Board Member

• Columbia County Water District—Commissioner

• Columbia County Empire Zone—Former Director

• Southern Columbia County Keep Farming—Livingston Town Coordinator

• New York Agribusiness Development Corporation—Former Board Member

• Mobile Slaughter Task Force—Board Member

• Pride of NY Advisory Committee

​​

​