Gov. Pat Quinn was present today to see the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receive a $10 million grant from Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM). The grant was given to the University today to found the ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss.

According to a press release, the global institute will work with smallholder farmers in the developing world to help preserve millions of metric tons of grains and oilseeds lost each year to pests, disease, mishandling and other factors.

“We are proud to partner with ADM to help advance practical strategies to combat postharvest losses. Our administration and faculty are committed to making this institute a leading research hub for preserving the global harvest of corn, oilseeds, wheat and rice – staple crops that account for a large percentage of the world’s food,” said University of Illinois president Michael Hogan in a press release.

According to a press release, Steven T. Sonka, Ph.D., professor of agricultural management in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will serve as the global institute’s faculty director.