NAICS 111160

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying U.S. business establishments to support consistent collection, analysis, and publication of economic statistics. Developed by the U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee in cooperation with Statistics Canada and Mexico’s INEGI, NAICS was adopted in 1997 to replace the SIC system and is implemented across federal statistical programs, including the 2022 NAICS vintage. ¹

NAICS 111160 Rice Farming covers establishments primarily engaged in growing rice (except wild rice) and/or producing rice seed. Wild rice operations are classified in NAICS 111199 All Other Grain Farming. Establishments producing rice in combination with oilseeds that do not meet the 50 percent value threshold for either commodity are classified in NAICS 111191 Oilseed and Grain Combination Farming. ²

What this NAICS covers

• Growing paddy rice for grain as the establishment’s primary agricultural activity. ²
• Producing rice seed for planting. ²
• Rice farming conducted on a farm or ranch basis typical of Crop Production industries. ²
• Operations where rice accounts for at least one-half of the establishment’s total agricultural production by value. ³
• Production completed at the “farm gate,” prior to downstream food manufacturing activities. ³

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	111160	Rice Farming
NAICS	111199	All Other Grain Farming
NAICS	111191	Oilseed and Grain Combination Farming
NAICS	311212	Rice Milling

Classification notes and cross‑references

• Wild rice cultivation belongs in 111199 All Other Grain Farming, not 111160. ²
• Farms producing rice with oilseeds where neither represents at least half of production are in 111191 Oilseed and Grain Combination Farming. ²
• Milling, cleaning, or polishing rice is manufacturing under 311212 Rice Milling, not agriculture under 111160. ⁴
• Crop Production industries are classified by the value share of outputs; combination farms that do not meet a single-commodity threshold are classified accordingly. ³

2022 Economic Census coverage note

The 2022 Economic Census publishes statistics for Sector 11 (Agriculture) on a 2022 NAICS basis; agriculture data releases for Sector 11 follow a phased, or “flow,” schedule. ⁵

Frequently asked questions

• What activities define NAICS 111160?

  • Establishments primarily grow rice (except wild rice) and/or produce rice seed. Activities are farm-level and end at or before the “farm gate,” preceding any food manufacturing such as milling. Operations must align with Crop Production industry principles. ²

• Is wild rice farming included in 111160?

  • No. Wild rice is excluded from 111160 and classified under 111199 All Other Grain Farming. Use 111160 only for paddy rice and rice seed production. This distinction follows the NAICS cross-references and industry definition. ²

• How does 111160 differ from 311212 Rice Milling?

  • NAICS 111160 covers agricultural production—growing rice and producing rice seed. NAICS 311212 covers manufacturing activities such as milling, cleaning, and polishing rice. If the primary activity is rice processing rather than farming, classify under 311212. ⁴

• Has NAICS 111160 continued into the 2022 vintage?

  • Yes. NAICS 111160 appears in the 2022 NAICS structure and is used across Census programs implementing 2022 NAICS. Users can confirm the active 2022 classification via the Census NAICS search tool. ¹

• Where are small business size standards for 111160?

  • The U.S. Small Business Administration maintains the official Table of Small Business Size Standards aligned to NAICS codes and provides downloadable tables and tools. Consult the SBA table to determine the current size standard for NAICS 111160. ⁶

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 111160 overview
• Census NAICS search and introduction (includes 2022 NAICS access). ¹
• 2017 NAICS Manual (official industry definitions and cross-references). ²
• 2022 Economic Census — Sector 11 Agriculture page (data releases). ⁵
• SBA — Table of Small Business Size Standards (official size standards by NAICS). ⁶

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, NAICS Search and Introduction. https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=ec&year=2022
2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Manual, Industry 111160 Rice Farming (definition and cross-references). https://www2.census.gov/library/reference/naics/publications/2017-NAICS-Manual.pdf
3. U.S. Census Bureau, Sector 11—Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (classification principles). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect11.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau, Industries 31–33 Manufacturing (includes 311212 Rice Milling boundary). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census — Sector 11 Agriculture. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-11.html
6. U.S. Small Business Administration, Table of Size Standards. https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards