NAICS 311211

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the U.S. government’s standard for classifying business establishments to support consistent collection, analysis, and publication of economic statistics. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and adopted in 1997 to replace SIC, NAICS was jointly created by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; current federal economic statistics are being published on the 2022 NAICS vintage. ¹

NAICS 311211 — Flour Milling — covers establishments primarily engaged in milling flour or meal from grains (except rice) or vegetables, and/or milling flour and preparing flour mixes or doughs in the same establishment. Dry corn milling is included in this industry; wet corn milling is excluded. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 311212 (Rice Milling)
• G2X — NAICS 311822 (Flour Mixes and Dough Manufacturing from Purchased Flour)

What this NAICS covers

• Dry milling of wheat and other grains (except rice) to produce flour and meal. ²
• Dry milling of corn (e.g., cornmeal, grits) under flour milling rather than wet corn processing. ²
• Milling of vegetable flours and meals (e.g., potato or other vegetable-based flours). ²
• Integrated operations that both mill flour and prepare flour mixes or doughs from flour milled on-site. ²
• Multi-grain flour blends and mixes produced where the underlying flour was milled at the same establishment. ²
• Contract production that is properly classified to flour milling based on the processes performed (milling of grains/vegetables, not rice). ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	311212	Rice Milling
NAICS	311822	Flour Mixes and Dough Manufacturing from Purchased Flour
NAICS	311230	Breakfast Cereal Manufacturing
PSC	8920	Bakery and Cereal Products

Note: NAICS descriptors and relationships reflect Census definitions and cross-references. ²
Note: PSC 8920 includes “Flour; Prepared Flour; Prepared Cereals; Macaroni.” ³

Cross-references and exclusions

• Preparing breakfast cereals from flour milled in the same establishment is classified in NAICS 311230. ²
• Manufacturing prepared flour mixes or doughs from flour ground elsewhere is classified in NAICS 311822. ²
• Milling rice or cleaning and polishing rice is classified in NAICS 311212. ²
• Wet milling of corn and other vegetables (e.g., to make corn sweeteners, corn oil, starches) is classified in NAICS 311221. ²

Frequently asked questions

• What activities define NAICS 311211?

  Establishments mill flour or meal from grains (except rice) or vegetables, and may also prepare flour mixes or doughs if the flour is milled on-site. Dry corn milling belongs here; rice milling and wet corn milling do not. ²

• How does NAICS 311211 differ from NAICS 311212?

  NAICS 311211 covers milling of grains other than rice and vegetable flours; NAICS 311212 covers milling, cleaning, and polishing of rice. Rice-related activities are excluded from 311211. ²

• Are mixes and doughs made from purchased flour included in NAICS 311211?

  No. Prepared mixes or doughs made from flour ground elsewhere fall under NAICS 311822. In 311211, mixes/doughs are included only when produced from flour milled in the same establishment. ²

• Does NAICS 311211 include wet corn milling?

  No. Wet corn milling (e.g., producing corn sweeteners, corn oil, starches) is classified under NAICS 311221. Dry corn milling is part of 311211. ²

• Where do contracting officials find size standards for NAICS 311211?

  The U.S. Small Business Administration publishes the Table of Small Business Size Standards matched to NAICS codes; the latest effective table and updates are available on sba.gov. ⁴

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 311211
• Census: Understanding NAICS. ¹
• Census: NAICS 311211 definition and cross-references (Flour Milling). ²
• GSA/Acquisition.gov: Product and Service Code Manual (PSC 8920 entry under Group 89 Subsistence). ³

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS official site. https://www.census.gov/naics/
2. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 NAICS details for 311211 (Flour Milling). https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=311211&year=2022&details=311211
3. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual, April 2025 (PSC 8920 under Group 89 Subsistence). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
4. U.S. Small Business Administration — Table of Small Business Size Standards. https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards