NAICS 311611

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal statistical standard for classifying business establishments so agencies can collect, analyze, and publish data on the U.S. economy. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget, NAICS was adopted in 1997 to replace SIC and is jointly maintained with Canada and Mexico. ¹

Under NAICS 2022, NAICS 311611 designates establishments primarily engaged in slaughtering animals other than poultry and small game. Establishments that both slaughter and prepare meats from the animals they slaughter are included in this industry. ²

NAICS is updated on a five-year cycle; the current edition is 2022. Federal statistical programs transition to new NAICS editions on a published timeline. ⁶

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 311611 overview
• G2X — NAICS 311615
• G2X — NAICS 311613

What this NAICS covers

• Slaughter operations for livestock species other than poultry and small game, including pre- and post-mortem handling associated with slaughter. ²
• Dressing and preparing meats resulting from the establishment’s own slaughter activities. ²
• On-site fabrication of carcasses into primals/subprimals where incidental to slaughtering. ²
• Chilling, short-term holding, and packing of fresh meats produced from in-house slaughter. ²
• Facility sanitation and process controls integral to slaughter and immediate meat preparation. ²
• By-product handling that is part of slaughter (e.g., hides) when not primarily rendering. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	311612	Meat Processed from Carcasses
PSC	8905	Meat, Poultry, and Fish
PSC	8810	Live Animals, Raised for Food

NAICS relationships are based on official Census industry descriptions and cross-references. ²
PSC descriptors and scope are per the current Product and Service Code Manual. ³

Regulatory and inspection context

Commercial slaughter of livestock for human food in this industry is subject to continuous inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), administered by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). FMIA requires livestock to be slaughtered and processed under federal inspection to be eligible for commerce. ⁵

FSIS implements sanitation, process control, and HACCP requirements at livestock slaughter establishments to reduce pathogens and ensure products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled. State inspection programs may operate “at least equal to” federal requirements but products are generally limited to intrastate commerce. ⁴

NAICS 2022 implementation status

Census Bureau economic programs began disseminating data on a 2022 NAICS basis with the 2022 Economic Census releases and plan full program adoption by the end of calendar year 2027 (with limited exceptions on five-year surveys). ⁶

Frequently asked questions

• How is this industry defined in official sources?
  It covers establishments primarily engaged in slaughtering animals other than poultry and small game. It also includes operations that both slaughter and prepare meat from animals they slaughter themselves, reflecting integrated slaughter-and-fabrication facilities common in the sector. ²

• Are activities like cutting and packing boxed meat from purchased carcasses included here?
  No. Cutting, boxing, or otherwise processing meat from purchased carcasses or primal cuts is classified under 311612 (Meat Processed from Carcasses), not under the slaughtering industry, unless those activities are incidental to the establishment’s own slaughter operations. ²

• What federal inspection applies to commercial livestock slaughter for human food?
  The Federal Meat Inspection Act mandates continuous federal inspection for cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other defined livestock. FSIS inspectors verify humane handling, sanitation, HACCP compliance, and labeling to ensure products are safe, wholesome, and properly marked for commerce. ⁵

• Can state-inspected slaughter establishments ship products interstate?
  Generally no. Products from state-inspected establishments are limited to intrastate commerce unless the state participates in FSIS’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. State programs must operate “at least equal to” federal requirements to maintain eligibility. ⁴

Useful resources

• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS 311611 industry description. ²
• U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of 2022 NAICS. ⁶
• USDA FSIS — Inspection of Meat Products (FMIA and inspection overview). ⁵

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manual. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Industry Description: 311611 Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering. https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=311611&year=2022&details=311611
3. General Services Administration, Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual, April 2025 (Sections D — Groups 88 and 89). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
4. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, State Inspection Programs. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/state-inspection-programs
5. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Inspection of Meat Products (FMIA overview). https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/inspection-programs/inspection-meat-products
6. U.S. Census Bureau, The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS. https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html