424590

Analysis

NAICS 424590 is the 2022 national industry for other farm product raw material merchant wholesalers, part of 42459 (Other Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 37 example activities under it in the official index.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 41% and employment rose 56%. 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.

County Business Patterns counts 1,120 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 11,302 people at an average annual payroll of $74,106 per employee (60th percentile of national industries). 57% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.

Census lists 6 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 424430, 424440, 424510 and 424520. 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.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include animal hair, wool, or mohair merchant wholesalers, auction markets, tobacco, horses, mules, merchant…, bees merchant wholesalers and bovine semen merchant wholesalers, among 37 in all.

For example, merchant wholesale distribution of raw milk are classified in 424430 (Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers) instead.