Analysis
NAICS 311511 is the 2022 national industry for fluid milk manufacturing, part of 31151 (Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing). Census lists 34 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 440 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 57,985 people at an average annual payroll of $67,909 per employee (50th percentile of national industries). 12% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which points to larger operations.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include acidophilus milk manufacturing, almond milk manufacturing, beverages, milk based (except dietary), manufacturing and buttermilk manufacturing, among 34 in all.
Its goods appear in 28 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 0401 (milk and cream, not concentrated nor containing added sugar…), 0403 (yogurt; buttermilk, curdled milk and cream, kephir and…) and 2202 (waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 311514, 311412, 311520 and 112120. 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, manufacturing dry mix whipped toppings, canned milk, and ultra high temperature milk are classified in 311514 (Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Product Manufacturing) instead.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) manufacturing processed milk products, such as pasteurized milk or cream and sour cream and/or (2) manufacturing fluid milk dairy substitutes from soybeans and other nondairy substances.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing dry mix whipped toppings, canned milk, and ultra high temperature milk | 311514 Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Product Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing frozen whipped toppings | 311412 Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing ice cream and frozen yogurt and other frozen desserts | 311520 Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing |
| Milking dairy cattle | 112120 Dairy Cattle and Milk Production |
Index entries (34)
- Acidophilus milk manufacturing
- Almond milk manufacturing
- Beverages, milk based (except dietary), manufacturing
- Buttermilk manufacturing
- Cheese, cottage, manufacturing
- Chocolate drink (milk based) manufacturing
- Chocolate milk manufacturing
- Cottage cheese manufacturing
- Cream manufacturing
- Dips, sour cream based, manufacturing
- Drink, chocolate milk, manufacturing
- Eggnog, fresh, nonalcoholic, manufacturing
- Eggnog, nonalcoholic (except canned), manufacturing
- Flavored milk drinks manufacturing
- Fluid milk substitutes processing
- Homogenizing milk
- Milk based drinks (except dietary) manufacturing
- Milk drink, chocolate, manufacturing
- Milk pasteurizing
- Milk processing (e.g., bottling, homogenizing, pasteurizing, vitaminizing) manufacturing
- Milk substitutes manufacturing
- Milk, acidophilus, manufacturing
- Milk, fluid (except canned), manufacturing
- Nondairy creamers, liquid, manufacturing
- Nondairy yogurt (except frozen) manufacturing
- Oat milk manufacturing
- Pasteurizing milk
- Rice milk manufacturing
- Sour cream manufacturing
- Sour cream substitutes manufacturing
- Soy milk manufacturing
- Whipped topping (except dry mix, frozen) manufacturing
- Whipping cream manufacturing
- Yogurt (except frozen) manufacturing