USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Aaron A. Martin, State Executive Director for North Carolina and members of his management team announced that public meetings have been scheduled in six North Carolina counties where FSA offices are being considered for proposed consolidation under USDA's plan to increase departmental efficiencies announced Monday, January 9th by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

FSA's public meetings are scheduled as follows:

• Hertford County
• January 23, 2012 at 12:00 pm at the Hertford County Cooperative Extension Center, 301 W. Tryon St, Winton, NC 27896.

• Chowan County
• January 23, 2012 at 6:00 pm at the Chowan County Agricultural Building, 730 N. Granville Street, Suite B, Edenton, NC 27932

• Warren County
• January 24, 2012 at 2:00 pm at the Warren County Public Library, 119 S. Front Street, Warrenton, NC 27589

• Catawba County
• January 31, 2012 at 1:30 pm at the Catawba County Agricultural Resource Center, David Stewart Conference Room, 1st Floor, 1175 S. Brady Ave., Newton, NC 28658

• Moore County
• February 1, 2012 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the Moore County Agricultural Center, Meeting Room #1, located at 707 Pinehurst Ave., Carthage, NC 28327

• Pamlico County
• February 2, 2012 at 5:30 pm in the courtroom of the Pamlico County Courthouse, 202 Main St., Bayboro, NC 28515

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