As state Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain rang the bell to open the weekly Mid-City Farmer’s Market, some of the farmers lined up to sell their produce were marking the end of a troublesome year, highlighted by the pounding their crops took from two hurricanes.

"We lost about I'd say about 40% of our Satsumas, we lost about 50% of our Naval oranges,” said Ken Savastano, a Plaquemines Parish citrus farmer.

Savastano said the winds blew away profits as well as the fruit he grows, making it a tough year to stay in business. "If this is just a sideline business for you, something that you do in retirement, you can live with it. But if you got to pay the rent, and pay your car note and your house note with this, it’s tough right now."

Northshore farmer Jim Core said farmers were already coping with crippling gas prices when the hurricanes struck, complicating an already chancy year. "It's been pretty challenging with the storms, and with the gas, seems like it has been a wall every way you turn around to look at, because we lost all of our first planting."

"What you saw was unprecedented damage to our farming industry,” said Strain, “from one part of the state all the way, from north to south Louisiana, east to west, we experienced over a $1 billion in damages."

Now markets like this are more important the state's small farmers than ever.

"Look where we're at here, they're set up outside, people can come right from the buildings, right from this neighborhood, and buy the very freshest produce. Look at this produce, picked this morning. You're not going to get any better than that,” said Strain.

"Without these markets,” said Core, “we're out of business, you know, we're unemployed, and that's not a good thing."

Farming is a $20 billion business in Louisiana, according to the agriculture commissioner, with 28,000 farmers, many of them small farmers, so Commissioner Strain worries about the faltering economy.

"Yes I am worried. I am concerned. But I do know this: I know our farmers are very strong, and very resilient. I know our people are strong and resilient, and I know we're going to come through this,” he said.

For the farmers, the key will be convincing customers to continue shopping at the markets which take place in various sections of the city.

"It's better to shop here in a poor economy, the quality's there, the people are great. These are, these are my friends. We've gotten to know these people, they're our friends," said Naomi Duffey, a customer.

If they're not successful, Larose tomato and cucumber farmer Barry Barrilleaux says he and other farmers could be forced out of business. "I don't know, I might have to go back to working on the boat. I don't know, I'm gonna see what it does, but I don't think it’s gonna affect us too much."