The Ecology School in Saco recently received a USDA grant supporting urban agriculture and innovation. Pictured is The Ecology School’s River Bend Farm’s agroecology production fields. Contributed / Photography for the People

The Ecology School is one of 17 national grant recipients of the USDA’s Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) grants, totaling $5.2M. The Ecology School was selected from over 620 applicants and is the first-ever organization in Maine to receive the award, according to a school press release.

The UAIP grants program supports efforts to initiate, expand, or accelerate agricultural practices serving farmers and communities, and increase food production and access in economically distressed communities.

“During this next decade it will be crucial that our regional and national food systems become more climate-smart and work to support local communities, conservation and to address hunger,” said Drew Dumsch, president and CEO of The Ecology School. “We are proud to receive national support for the work we are doing here in southern Maine.”

The three-year UAIP grant award of $343,000 will support The Ecology School’s Agroecology for Resilient Communities Project, which includes innovative agroecology farming operations, food systems education, apprenticeship workforce training, and fresh food distribution to Saco and Biddeford middle school students in partnership with Youth Full Maine. 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.

“This investment from the USDA coupled with the partnership of the innovative leaders at The Ecology School is a vision come true in shifting the tide of food insecurity in Maine. Being able to get fresh, locally grown produce into the hands of students is the best way to foster lifelong education about and appreciation for nourishing food ingredients,” said Katie Brown, executive director of Youth Full Maine.

The Ecology School’s application for funding received strong support from U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, who all cite The Ecology School as a leading education organization in the fields of ecology, conservation, farming, and sustainability, according to the release.

“Every community in Maine deserves access to a fresh and healthy meal,” said King. “This investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will foster an appreciation for smart, sustainable farming and production practices. It also represents an evolution in how we address food insecurity. The Ecology School is paving the way for Maine as the first program to receive this competitive award. I am so proud of the visionary work they’re doing to address the future of food insecurity in our state.”

Youth Full Maine, a nonprofit located in Biddeford, works to diminish food insecurity in York County through in-school food pantries and mobile free food distributions. They reach over 1,100 York County families in seven York County communities.

In addition to expansion of The Ecology School’s agroecology farming operations, which will include installation of a food forest, the grant will support food systems education to York County students, providing an agricultural workforce training opportunity through a Student Farm Apprenticeship.

“This federal investment will support the school’s educational efforts while expanding their innovative food production practices to help address food insecurity in Maine now and into the future,” Collins said.

“I’m very pleased to see The Ecology School awarded the first-ever Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grant in Maine,” Pingree said. “This funding will enhance sustainable regional food production, support local farming, and address hunger in Maine. Their work to increase food grown within the community, strengthen workforce training and provide fresh food to local schools is a win all around.”