NAICS 11 - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

The Sector as a Whole

The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in growing crops, raising animals, harvesting timber, and harvesting fish and other animals from a farm, ranch, or their natural habitats.

The establishments in this sector are often described as farms, ranches, dairies, greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, or hatcheries. A farm may consist of a single tract of land or a number of separate tracts which may be held under different tenures. For example, one tract may be owned by the farm operator and another rented. It may be operated by the operator alone or with the assistance of members of the household or hired employees, or it may be operated by a partnership, corporation, or other type of organization. When a landowner has one or more tenants, renters, croppers, or managers, the land operated by each is considered a farm.

The sector distinguishes two basic activities: agricultural production and agricultural support activities. Agricultural production includes establishments performing the complete farm or ranch operation, such as farm owner-operators and tenant farm operators. Agricultural support activities include establishments that perform one or more activities associated with farm operation, such as soil preparation, planting, harvesting, and management, on a contract or fee basis.

Excluded from the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector are establishments primarily engaged in agricultural research (e.g., experimental farms) and government establishments primarily engaged in administering programs for regulating and conserving land, mineral, wildlife, and forest use. These establishments are classified in Industry 54171, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences; and Industry 92412, Administration of Conservation Programs, respectively.

• Covers establishments engaged in crop growing, animal raising, timber harvesting, and fish harvesting.
• Includes both agricultural production and agricultural support activities.
• Encompasses farms, ranches, dairies, greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, and hatcheries.
• Distinguishes operations by land tenure including owned, rented, or managed tracts.
• Excludes agricultural research and government conservation program administration.
• Supports both individual operators and organizational business structures.

• Cultivating and harvesting crops such as grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Raising livestock including cattle, poultry, and dairy animals.
• Harvesting timber from managed forests and woodlands.
• Collecting fish and other aquatic animals from natural habitats and farms.
• Performing soil preparation, planting, and harvesting services on contract.
• Managing agricultural operations including pest control and irrigation.
• Operating greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, and hatcheries.
• Providing agricultural support services such as farm management and equipment rental.

• Family-owned farms and ranches
• Agricultural cooperatives and partnerships
• Commercial nursery and greenhouse operators
• Forestry and timber harvesting companies
• Fish hatcheries and aquaculture businesses
• Agricultural support service providers