NAICS 115111

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for organizing business establishments to support statistical collection, analysis, and publication on the U.S. economy. Created under the Office of Management and Budget and adopted in 1997 to replace SIC, NAICS was jointly developed by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; current federal economic statistics are published on the 2022 NAICS vintage. ²

NAICS 115111 defines a U.S. industry consisting of establishments primarily engaged in ginning cotton—i.e., removing fiber (lint) from cottonseed. It sits within NAICS 11511 Support Activities for Crop Production and is the specific category for cotton ginning, distinct from cotton farming and other postharvest services. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 115111 overview
• G2X — NAICS 111920 Cotton Farming
• G2X — NAICS 115114 Postharvest Crop Activities (except Cotton Ginning)

What this NAICS covers

• Operation of cotton gin facilities as the primary business activity. ¹
• Contract or fee-based cotton ginning performed as a support activity for crop production. ¹
• Separating cotton lint from cottonseed using ginning equipment. ¹
• Ginning services provided to multiple farms or producers. ¹
• Establishments whose defining activity is cotton ginning, regardless of where the cotton was grown. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	111920	Cotton Farming; establishments growing cotton (ginning is classified in 115111). 1
NAICS	115114	Postharvest Crop Activities (except Cotton Ginning); cleaning, drying, shelling, grading, packing, and cooling of crops other than cotton ginning. 1
NAICS	11511	Support Activities for Crop Production; industry group that includes cotton ginning as a representative service. 1
NAICS	333111	Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing; includes cotton ginning machinery manufacturing as an illustrative example. 5

Classification notes and boundary rules

• Cotton ginning is classified in 115111; growing cotton belongs in 111920. ¹
• Postharvest services such as cleaning, sorting, grading, packing, and cooling—other than cotton ginning—are classified in 115114. ¹
• The Census Bureau disseminates economic statistics on the 2022 NAICS basis; most programs are scheduled to adopt 2022 NAICS by the end of calendar year 2027. ³

Frequently asked questions

• What activities define NAICS 115111?
  Establishments in 115111 primarily gin cotton—separating lint from seed. It is the dedicated classification for cotton ginning within Support Activities for Crop Production and is distinct from cotton farming and other postharvest services such as cleaning or packing. ¹

• How is 115111 different from 115114 and 111920?
  115111 covers cotton ginning. 115114 covers postharvest crop services (e.g., cleaning, grading, packing) except cotton ginning. 111920 covers growing cotton. Cross-references on the official NAICS pages delineate these boundaries. ¹ See also on G2X: 115111, 115114, 111920.

• Did the definition of 115111 change in the 2022 NAICS update?
  Not specified by official sources ³. The Census provides an implementation timeline and consolidated change files for 2017–2022, but public landing pages do not enumerate narrative changes for every industry. Users should consult the 2022 concordances and program guidance for any applied mapping or reporting differences. ³

• Where does 115111 fit in sector reporting for the 2022 Economic Census?
  The 2022 Economic Census publishes data using the 2022 NAICS vintage and includes Sector 11: Agriculture. Cotton ginning appears under Support Activities for Crop Production in Sector 11 resources and data releases. ⁴ See also on G2X: 115111.

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 115111 overview
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sector 11 page (includes 115111 Cotton Ginning). ¹
• Economic Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (2022 vintage). ²
• 2022 NAICS Implementation timeline and changes (Census). ³
• 2022 Economic Census — Sector 11 Agriculture data tables. ⁴

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sector 11 (includes 115111 Cotton Ginning): https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect11.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — Economic Census: NAICS Codes & Understanding Industry Classification Systems (2022): https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/technical-documentation/code-lists/understanding-naics-redirect.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS: https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 NAICS Sector 11: Agriculture (Economic Census data): https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-11.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sectors 31–33 (Manufacturing) page noting cotton ginning machinery under 333111: https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html