In the last two election cycles, more agriculture leadership in the U.S. House and Senate has been lost than ever before, says John Queen, National Cattlemen's Beef Association president, with more due to be lost in 2008.

“Combine that with an activist community that is more active than ever, and if we're not politically active, we're in trouble,” he says.

Queen is encouraging cattle producers to keep sending letters and making phone calls to their elected representatives.

“Interest groups that speak the most and loudest get the attention of that Congressman or Senator,” he says. “Don't get complacent. It doesn't matter if you have a 50-head cow herd or a 500-head cow herd, we can't sit on the sidelines any more.”