Analysis
NAICS 311611 is the 2022 national industry for animal (except poultry) slaughtering, part of 31161 (Animal Slaughtering and Processing). Census lists 28 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 1,274 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 159,965 people at an average annual payroll of $56,313 per employee (27th percentile of national industries). 31% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include abattoirs, animal fats (except poultry and small game) produced in…, bacon, slab and sliced, produced in slaughtering plants and beef carcasses, half carcasses, primal and sub-primal cuts…, among 28 in all.
Its goods appear in 206 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 0201 (meat of bovine animals, fresh or chilled), 0202 (meat of bovine animals, frozen) and 1602 (other prepared or preserved meat, meat offal, blood or…). 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 311612, 311615, 311613 and 3114. 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, processing meat and meat byproducts (except poultry and small game) from purchased meats are classified in 311612 (Meat Processed from Carcasses) instead.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in slaughtering animals (except poultry and small game). Establishments that slaughter and prepare meats are included in this industry.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Processing meat and meat byproducts (except poultry and small game) from purchased meats | 311612 Meat Processed from Carcasses |
| Slaughtering and/or processing poultry and small game | 311615 Poultry Processing |
| Rendering lard and other animal fats and oils, bones, and meat scraps | 311613 Rendering and Meat Byproduct Processing |
| Manufacturing canned and frozen specialty foods containing meat, such as nationality foods (e.g., enchiladas, egg rolls, pizza) and frozen dinners | 3114 Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing |
Index entries (28)
- Abattoirs
- Animal fats (except poultry and small game) produced in slaughtering plants
- Bacon, slab and sliced, produced in slaughtering plants
- Beef carcasses, half carcasses, primal and sub-primal cuts, produced in slaughtering plants
- Beef produced in slaughtering plants
- Boxed beef produced in slaughtering plants
- Boxed meats produced in slaughtering plants
- Canned meats (except poultry) produced in slaughtering plants
- Cured hides and skins produced in slaughtering plants
- Custom slaughtering
- Fats, animal (except poultry, small game), produced in slaughtering plants
- Hams (except poultry) produced in slaughtering plants
- Hides and skins produced in slaughtering plants
- Horsemeat produced in slaughtering plants
- Hot dogs (except poultry) produced in slaughtering plants
- Inedible products (e.g., hides, skins, pulled wool, wool grease) produced in slaughtering plants
- Lamb carcasses, half carcasses, primal and sub-primal cuts, produced in slaughtering plants
- Lard produced in slaughtering plants
- Luncheon meat (except poultry) produced in slaughtering plants
- Meat canning (except poultry) produced in slaughtering plants
- Meats fresh, chilled or frozen (except poultry and small game), produced in slaughtering plants
- Meats, cured or smoked, produced in slaughtering plants
- Pork carcasses, half carcasses, and primal and sub-primal cuts produced in slaughtering plants
- Sausage casings, natural, produced in slaughtering plant
- Slaughtering, custom
- Tallow produced in a slaughtering plant
- Variety meats, edible organs, made in slaughtering plants
- Veal carcasses, half carcasses, primal and sub-primal cuts, produced in slaughtering plants