Analysis
NAICS 31151 is the 2022 NAICS industry for dairy product (except frozen) manufacturing, part of 3115 (Dairy Product Manufacturing). Census lists 86 example activities under it in the official index.
By establishments it ranks 1st of the 2 codes at this level within Dairy Product Manufacturing, with 70.6% of them.
County Business Patterns counts 1,236 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 139,981 people at an average annual payroll of $67,133 per employee (47th percentile of national industries). 15% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which points to larger operations.
Census lists 5 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 31194, 31122, 31141 and 31152. 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.
Across its national industries Census lists 86 index entries; typical ones are acidophilus milk manufacturing, anhydrous butterfat manufacturing, cheese (except cottage cheese) manufacturing and baby formula, fresh, processed, and bottled, manufacturing.
Its goods appear in 303 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 0406 (cheese and curd), 1901 (malt extract; food preparations of flour, groats, meal…) and 0402 (milk and cream, concentrated or containing added sugar or…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) manufacturing dairy products (except frozen) from raw milk and/or processed milk products; (2) manufacturing dairy substitutes (except frozen) from soybeans and other nondairy substances; and (3) manufacturing dry, condensed, concentrated, and evaporated dairy and dairy substitute products.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing cheese-based salad dressings | 31194 Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing margarine, margarine-butter blends, or butter substitutes | 31122 Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing frozen whipped toppings | 31141 Frozen Food Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing ice cream, frozen yogurt, and other frozen dairy desserts | 31152 Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing |
| Milking dairy cattle | 11212 Dairy Cattle and Milk Production |
Index entries (86)
- Acidophilus milk manufacturing
- Anhydrous butterfat manufacturing
- Cheese (except cottage cheese) manufacturing
- Baby formula, fresh, processed, and bottled, manufacturing