The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and a coalition of more than 60 food groups are asking the US Senate and US House of Representatives to design a 2017 budget that will adequately fund FDA food safety programs without burdening manufacturers with taxes or fees.

“Food safety is the highest priority for America’s food and beverage makers,” said Kraig Naasz, AFFI president and CEO. “As the administration begins to craft the fiscal year 2017 budget, we stand ready to work with federal agencies and Congress to ensure sufficient federal resources are allocated to FDA’s critical food safety activities without increasing costs for consumers and food makers.”

AFFI and the food groups expressed these concerns in a letter sent to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell and Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan.

In the letter, the groups warn that any new food taxes will cripple economic efforts saying “as consumers continue to cope with a period of prolonged economic recovery and food makers and retailers struggle with fluctuating commodity prices, the creation of new food taxes or regulatory fees would mean higher costs for food makers and lead to higher retail food prices for the most vulnerable consumers.”

 The full letter can be read here.