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.”