Recent trends show a growing interest among young people in taking up farming, but the steep costs associated with starting a farm are preventing many from getting their dreams off the ground. Fortunately, United States Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the government would introduce new loans that could help budding farmers get started. Since starting a farm typically requires purchasing land and agricultural equipment, the cost can be out of reach for many recent graduates.

As a vital part of the community for the past several decades, the Boys & Girls Club of Machesney Park, Ill., is about to receive a major $1.3 million renovation project. Construction on the new facility began earlier this week after nearly four years of campaigning from community advocates.

RMT Energy, a renewable energy engineering, procurement and construction contractor, was recently tapped to aid in building a large wind turbine facility in Madison, Wis. Not only is the company responsible for the turbines themselves, but it must also construct the roads, crane paths and foundations necessary to ensure everything runs smoothly.

The 2012 planting season has experienced some unexpected growth, as the terrific weather meant crops could be planted earlier than usual. While that's true in Nebraska, the lack of rain in recent weeks is causing some farmers to show concern for the early life of the crops already in the ground.

The U.S. housing market improved in April, according to the latest date released by the Commerce Department.

ServInt - a company that provides cloud data management services for a number of businesses across the globe - has announced the completion of its newest data center in Amsterdam. The company will now have an easier time providing low-latency hosting and cloud services to customers in the surrounding geographic region.

Farmers in Alabama are reportedly cutting back on crops this year due to a new law that could lead to a shortage of labor, according to The Associated Press.

After a weak March for home construction, many analysts said the strong numbers in January and February may have been primarily due to the warm weather. However, with the release of data for April, it appears March may have been the anomaly.

Although many farmers have opted to go organic in recent years, healthy eating has not yet been fully adopted by all Americans. One of the key criticisms of organic farming is that the food costs too much compared to processed meals. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disproved that notion, revealing that eating healthy is actually more affordable than buying junk food.

Last year was a terrible year for weather in the United States, and many farmers felt the full wrath of Mother Nature. New data from the Risk Management Agency recently revealed 2011 hit a record high for crop insurance payouts, according to Western Farm Press.