Analysis
NAICS 115112 is the 2022 national industry for soil preparation, planting, and cultivating, part of 11511 (Support Activities for Crop Production). Census lists 29 example activities under it in the official index.
By establishments it ranks 1st of the 6 codes at this level within Support Activities for Crop Production, with 43.6% of them.
County Business Patterns counts 2,210 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 14,132 people at an average annual payroll of $65,414 per employee (44th percentile of national industries). 69% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include aerial crop dusting or spraying (i.e., using specialized or…, bracing of orchard trees and vines, chemical treatment of soil for crops and citrus grove cultivation services, among 29 in all.
Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 115310, 238910, 221310 and 561730. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
For example, mulching and seeding burned forests from the air in support of reforestation or on an emergency basis are classified in 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry) instead.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in performing a soil preparation activity or crop production service, such as plowing, fertilizing, seed bed preparation, planting, cultivating, and crop protecting services.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Mulching and seeding burned forests from the air in support of reforestation or on an emergency basis | 115310 Support Activities for Forestry |
| Land clearing, land leveling, and earth moving for terracing, ponds, and irrigation | 238910 Site Preparation Contractors |
| Providing water for irrigation | 221310 Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
| Landscaping services, such as lawn and maintenance care and ornamental tree and shrub services | 561730 Landscaping Services |
Index entries (29)
- Aerial crop dusting or spraying (i.e., using specialized or dedicated aircraft)
- Bracing of orchard trees and vines
- Chemical treatment of soil for crops
- Citrus grove cultivation services
- Crop dusting
- Crop spraying
- Cultivation services
- Detasseling corn
- Disease control for crops
- Dusting crops
- Entomological service, agricultural
- Fertilizer application for crops
- Hoeing
- Insect control for crops
- Orchard cultivation services (e.g., bracing, planting, pruning, removal, spraying, surgery)
- Pest control services, agricultural
- Planting crops
- Plowing
- Pollinating
- Pruning of orchard trees and vines
- Seed bed preparing
- Seeding crops
- Spraying crops
- Spreading lime for crops
- Surgery on trees and vines
- Thinning of crops, mechanical and chemical
- Transplanting services
- Vineyard cultivation services
- Weed control services for crops