Analysis
NAICS 113 is the 2022 subsector for forestry and logging, part of 11 (Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting). Census lists 36 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 7,917 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 47,629 people at an average annual payroll of $58,963 per employee (31st percentile of national industries). 62% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 9% and employment fell 12%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Across its national industries Census lists 36 index entries; typical ones are timber tract operations, aromatic wood gathering and cutting and transporting timber.
Its goods appear in 129 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 4403 (wood in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sap-…), 4001 (natural rubber, balata, gutta-percha, guayule, chicle and…) and 1301 (lac; natural gums, resins, gum-resins and oleoresins (for…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
It splits into 3 more detailed codes. The largest by establishments is 1133 (Logging) with 7,261.
Official definition
Industries in the Forestry and Logging subsector grow and harvest timber on a long production cycle (i.e., of 10 years or more). Long production cycles use different production processes than short production cycles, which require more horticultural interventions prior to harvest, resulting in processes more similar to those found in the Crop Production subsector. Consequently, Christmas tree production and other production involving production cycles of less than 10 years, are classified in the Crop Production subsector.
Industries in this subsector specialize in different stages of the production cycle. Reforestation requires production of seedlings in specialized nurseries. Timber production requires natural forest or suitable areas of land that are available for a long duration. The maturation time for timber depends upon the species of tree, the climatic conditions of the region, and the intended purpose of the timber. The harvesting of timber (except when done on an extremely small scale) requires specialized machinery unique to the industry. Establishments gathering forest products, such as gums, barks, balsam needles, rhizomes, fibers, Spanish moss, and ginseng and truffles, are also included in this subsector.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Index entries (36)
- Timber tract operations
- Aromatic wood gathering
- Cutting and transporting timber