Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., apparently ignored my plea for a moratorium on the "we have the safest food in the world" comments unless some data was provided.

Go figure.

The Billings Gazette cited Rehberg as saying Wednesday that U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab has assured him that the Bush administration will not push a free-trade agreement with South Korea until the country opens its market to U.S. beef.

Rehberg said the country was using "false arguments" to keep its markets closed.

"We have the safest meat products of any country in the world."

Bland blanket statements serve only to amplify rather than mollify consumer concerns.