NAICS 311313

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the tri-national standard used by U.S. federal statistical programs to classify establishments for consistent measurement and publication of economic data. Created under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997 and is reviewed every five years; the current U.S. vintage is 2022 ¹.
NAICS 311313 covers establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing refined beet sugar from sugar beets. Activities classified elsewhere include cane sugar processing and refining, corn sweeteners, maple syrup reduction, synthetic sweeteners, and certain syrup products. Federal statistics and procurement searches use this code to identify beet-sugar refining activity ².

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 311313 overview
• G2X — NAICS 311312 Cane Sugar Refining
• G2X — NAICS 311311 Sugarcane Mills

What this NAICS covers

• Manufacturing refined beet sugar from sugar beets ².
• Operating beet-sugar refineries where the primary output is refined sucrose ².
• Processing sugar beets and performing refining steps that yield refined beet sugar as the principal product ².
• Producing refined beet sugar for sale to industrial, foodservice, or retail markets when performed by the same establishment ².
• Classifying establishments whose main activity is refined beet sugar manufacturing, as distinct from cane sugar operations or corn sweeteners ².

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	311312	Cane Sugar Refining
NAICS	311311	Sugarcane Mills
NAICS	311221	Wet Corn Milling (corn sweeteners)
PSC	8925	Sugar, Confectionery, and Nuts

Official cross‑references and exclusions

• Raw or refined cane sugar from sugarcane is classified under 311311 or 311312, not 311313 ².
• Corn sweeteners by wet milling are classified in 311221 ².
• Table syrups from corn syrup and some dessert powders are classified in 311999 ².
• Maple sap reduced to syrup is classified in 111998 ².
• Synthetic sweeteners and sweetener blends are classified in 325 (Chemical Manufacturing) ².

Frequently asked questions

• What does NAICS 311313 include?
  NAICS 311313 includes establishments whose primary activity is manufacturing refined beet sugar from sugar beets. It does not include cane-sugar processing or corn sweeteners; those are classified elsewhere ².

• How is NAICS 311313 different from NAICS 311312 and 311311?
  311313 is beet-sugar refining. 311312 is cane sugar refining from raw cane sugar, and 311311 covers sugarcane mills (processing sugarcane) ².

• Are synthetic sweeteners or maple syrup part of NAICS 311313?
  No. Synthetic sweeteners are in 325 (Chemical Manufacturing). Maple syrup production is in 111998 (All Other Miscellaneous Crop Farming) ².

• Which PSC is commonly used when purchasing refined sugar supplies?
  Sugar commodities typically fall under PSC 8925 “Sugar, Confectionery, and Nuts,” per the Product and Service Code Manual. This PSC identifies what was bought; NAICS identifies the supplier’s primary industry ⁴.

• What NAICS vintage applies today, and when was it implemented?
  The current U.S. vintage is 2022. Census began disseminating statistics on a 2022 NAICS basis with 2022 Economic Census releases in 2024 and expects full adoption across programs by the end of calendar year 2027 (with a few survey exceptions) ¹.

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 311313 overview
• Census: NAICS Sector 31–33 pages (official definition and cross-references), including 311313 ².
• Census: 2022 NAICS implementation timeline and program adoption notes ¹.
• Census: Employer program industry tree showing placement of 311313 ³.
• GSA: Product and Service Code Manual, including PSC 8925 ⁴.

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Sector 31–33 pages (includes the official definition and cross-references for NAICS 311313) https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — Employer Categories and Corresponding Establishment NAICS Industries https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/esp/guidance/employer.html
4. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual/all