PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

J. Thomas Johnson
Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer
DutchFork Bancshares, Inc.
(803) 321-3200



                           DUTCHFORK BANCSHARES, INC.
                           --------------------------
                        ANNOUNCES DATE OF ANNUAL MEETING
                        --------------------------------

     Newberry,  South Carolina  -- December 4, 2003- DutchFork  Bancshares, Inc.
(Nasdaq Small Cap: DFBS) announced today that the  corporation's  annual meeting
of stockholders will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2004.

     DutchFork  Bancshares,  Inc. is the holding  company for  Newberry  Federal
Savings Bank, which operates three banking locations in Newberry County in South
Carolina.