EXHIBIT 99

 
           [LETTERHEAD OF SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES, INC. APPEARS HERE]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                      Date:  March 5, 1997
Lititz, Pennsylvania


                         SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES, INC.,
                      A MULTI-STATE BANK HOLDING COMPANY,
                  ANNOUNCES ITS ENTRY INTO NEW JERSEY THROUGH
                     THE ACQUISITION OF TWO NATIONAL BANKS


         Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., Lititz, Pennsylvania (Susquehanna)
(NASDAQ NMS: SUSQ) announced today that it completed the acquisitions of Farmers
Banc Corp., Mullica Hill, New Jersey, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Farmers
National Bank; and Atcorp, Inc., Marlton, New Jersey, and its wholly-owned
subsidiary Equity National Bank. With the addition of Farmers and Equity
National Bank, Susquehanna has consolidated assets of approximately $3.3 billion
through banking interests in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New
Jersey.

         The acquisitions of Farmers Banc Corp. and Atcorp were completed as of
the close of business on February 28, 1997, through the exchange of 692,511
shares of Susquehanna common stock for all of the outstanding capital stock of
Farmers and 771,750 shares of Susquehanna common stock for all of the
outstanding stock of Atcorp. Farmers Banc Corp. shareholders will receive 2.281
shares of Susquehanna common stock for each share of Farmers' stock that they
held as of February 28th and Atcorp shareholders will receive one share of
Susquehanna common stock for each share of Atcorp common stock they held as of
February 28th. Both Farmers National Bank and Equity National Bank will be
operated through a subsidiary of Susquehanna created for the purpose of
supervising the operation of the New Jersey acquisitions.

         These transactions represent Susquehanna's initial entry into New
Jersey. Susquehanna now owns four commercial banks in Pennsylvania with $1.6
billion in assets, a commercial bank and three federal


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savings banks in Maryland with $1.4 billion in assets and two banks in New
Jersey with $300 million in assets.

         Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Atlantic
Federal Savings Bank, Baltimore, Md.; Citizens National Bank of Southern
Pennsylvania, Greencastle, Pa.; Fairfax Savings, a Federal Savings Bank,
Baltimore, Md.; Farmers & Merchants Bank and Trust, Hagerstown, Md.; Farmers
First Bank, Lititz, Pa.; First National Trust Bank, Sunbury, Pa.; Reisterstown
Federal Savings Bank, Reisterstown, Md.; Williamsport National Bank,
Williamsport, Pa.; Susque-Bancshares Life Insurance Company; Lititz, Pa.; and
Susque-Bancshares Leasing Co., Inc., Lititz, Pa.

         Susquehanna's common stock is listed on the NASDAQ National Market
System under the symbol SUSQ. Susquehanna member banks now have 115 community
banking offices throughout central Pennsylvania, Maryland and southern New
Jersey. Investor information may be requested on our web-site at
http://www.susqbanc.com.



For Further Information Contact:       Robert S. Bolinger
                                       President and CEO
                                       SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES, INC.
                                       Office:  (717) 626-4721


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