Meat and milk products from cloned livestock and offspring are as safe as those from conventional animals for human consumption, according to a draft risk assessment released by U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials Thursday.

The peer-reviewed assessment comprising three separate documents -- a draft risk assessment, proposed risk management plan and draft guidance for industry -- is now subject to a 90-day public comment period. The risk assessment alone shows the safety of products from cloned animals, while the risk management plan and draft guidance for industry address risk mitigation in the cloning process and a blueprint for livestock operators utilizing the technology, respectively.

"Cloning poses no unique risks to animal health when compared to other assisted reproductive technologies currently in use in U.S. agriculture," said Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. "Because the release of the draft risk assessment and proposed risk management plan marks the beginning of our interaction with the public on these issues, we are continuing to ask producers of clones and livestock breeders to voluntarily refrain from introducing food products from these animals into commerce so that we will have the opportunity to consider the public's comments and to issue any final documents as warranted."

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The comment period, according to Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) president Jim Greenwood, will enable livestock producers to help mold policy for the latest reproductive technology available.

"While there are currently no products from cloned animals and their offspring in the market, the publication of the FDA's draft risk assessment will begin an essential public discussion on the technology and how it can be successfully used by farmers and ranchers," Greenwood said Thursday. "Animal cloning is the latest step in a long history of reproductive tools for farmers and ranchers, and can effectively help livestock producers deliver what consumers want."

Because of the risk assessment's wording that products from cloned animals are "as safe as" conventionally grown livestock, Sundlof added it's unlikely FDA will require food labeling specifically indicating cloned-animal origins.

The labeling issue is at the heart of opposition to Thursday's FDA announcement by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), whose director called the draft risk assessment an "anti-consumer action" and likened unlabeled consumer availability of clone-derived food products to human prescription medicines.

"The decision to take a drug is entirely voluntary and is made because an individual believes he or she will benefit and the benefit will outweigh any risk involved," Foreman said in a statement. "While the FDA must insist that food companies sell only products that are safe for human consumption surely Congress never intended that the FDA insist that consumers eat a food just because it is safe.

"Putting cloned milk and meat on the market with no identifying label information eliminates the option to avoid the products."

Foreman added that government-sanctioned animal cloning opens the door to birth defects like "Large Offspring Syndrome" that allegedly stems from cloning. "Our government, in effect, says it is okay to increase the number of suffering animals as long as they don't suffer in new ways," she said.

In addition, the FDA draft risk assessment, Foreman said, will ultimately enable "those who aspire to clone humans."

Such unimpeded progression from livestock to humans will not happen anytime soon, according to BIO's Greenwood. Instead, cloning technology -- which he said is not a new one -- will be used to streamline production with an ultimate goal of overall better health for consumers.

"BIO supports the continued responsible use of this technology, and encourages the continued observance of the voluntary moratorium on the introduction of food products from cloned animals and their offspring into the marketplace," Greenwood said. "Using the tools of biotechnology to produce more desirable and healthier farm animals is not a new practice. For decades, livestock producers have used genomics to improve the health and efficiency of animals that provide healthy and nutritious meat and milk.

"Globally, this technology may provide people in developing countries with greater access to protein-rich animal food products which will increase community health and well-being."