The Ecology School in Saco recently received a $343,000 federal grant to support the production and consumption of fresh food.

Last week, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Terry Crosby visited the Ecology School at River Bend Farm to learn about the school’s programming and what the grant, which was announced last month, will support.

Ecology School President and CEO Drew Dumsch signed a contract with Crosby to accept the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grant awarded by the USDA.

The national UAIP grant will support innovative food production, food systems education, agricultural workforce training, and fresh food distribution while improving critical elements of the local food system for long-term resilience and meeting immediate fresh food needs in the community.

The Ecology School is one of 17 national grant recipients of the UAIP grants, totaling $5.2M. The Ecology School was selected from over 620 applicants, according to a school press release.

“Notably, this is the first UAIP project awarded in Maine,” said Brian Guse, director of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production.

Successful recipients of the grant have shown a targeted approach to addressing food and nutrition security in their community, he said.

“Planning projects can address food access, education, business and others in suburban and urban areas,” Guse said in an interview. “These projects initiate or expand the efforts of farmers, gardeners, governments and schools.”

For The Ecology School, food access and education are imperative.

This was the second year the school applied for the funding, said grant writer Lily Collins. It will support the school’s Agroecology for Resilient Communities project, which includes innovative agroecology farming operations, food systems education, apprenticeship workforce training.

“That supports immersive agricultural education for our students,” Collins said, noting that the UAIP grant in particular is focused on supporting the communities of Saco and Biddeford.

Currently, The Ecology School has a strong connection with Biddeford and Saco middle schools, where the school provides food systems education. It also provides fresh food distribution to Saco and Biddeford middle school students in partnership with Youth Full Maine, a Biddeford-based food pantry that distributes fresh food and produce to several schools in York County.

Donating produce grown and harvested at River Bend Farm, the 313-acre home of The Ecology School in Saco, will improve critical elements of the local food system for long-term resilience while meeting immediate fresh food needs in the community, according to a school statement.

“This grant is really critical to supporting our mission,” Collins said. “We take a very holistic approach to education, conservation and ecology.”

The grant supports more than just the Saco and Biddeford students, Collins said. It will be used to build out the school’s immersive food system and growing space, which is also the school’s living and learning classrooms.

“It supports our agricultural apprenticeship program as well,” Collins said. “That’s really critical in Maine.”