FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Christine White, State Executive Director

January 17, 2012

517-324-5110

East Lansing, MI – January 17, 2012— USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced that Christine White, State Executive Director for Michigan FSA and members of her management team have scheduled a public meeting in Kalamazoo County Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the Oshtemo Township Hall located at 7275 West Main Street in Kalamazoo.

FSA’s public meeting will be the only one held to take public comment on USDA’s proposed office consolidation plan in which the Kalamazoo County FSA office is being considered for consolidation. Producers can also provide written comment by emailing: mary.halsey@mi.usda.gov or sending written comment to Michigan Farm Service Agency, 3001 Coolidge Road, East Lansing, MI 48823 no later than Friday, February 3, 2012.

All public comments will be taken into full consideration prior to development or implementation of a final consolidation plan.

For more information, contact Michigan Farm Service Agency at 517-324-5110.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.