SIC and NAICS Code for Cricket Farming: How to Classify Your Business

Getting your business classification code wrong isn't a paperwork technicality - it can affect your insurance coverage, your eligibility for agricultural tax treatment, your permitting category, and even your access to certain loan programs. Using NAICS code 112990 (All Other Animal Production) is the correct classification for commercial cricket farms, but many operators don't know this and default to codes that don't fit, creating downstream problems.

This guide explains which codes apply to your cricket farming operation, why the distinction matters, and what to do if you're currently using the wrong code.

TL;DR

• Using NAICS code 112990 (All Other Animal Production) is the correct classification for commercial cricket farms, but many operators don't know this and default to codes that don't fit, creating downstream problems
• SIC 0279 - Animal Services, Not Elsewhere Classified for livestock farming operations
• For processing (cricket flour manufacturing), SIC 2099 - Food Preparations, Not Elsewhere Classified is the appropriate SIC code
• Agricultural operations (NAICS 112990) are often eligible for specific types of agricultural insurance policies, including crop insurance equivalents for livestock operations
• Processing facilities (NAICS 311999) are classified differently and may have different liability exposure profiles
• NAICS 112990 typically qualifies; a miscellaneous services code may not
• An operation classified under agricultural production (112990) may have different zoning requirements, permitting pathways, and fee schedules than one classified as food manufacturing (311999)

SIC 0279 - Animal Services, Not Elsewhere Classified for livestock farming operations.

• For processing (cricket flour manufacturing), SIC 2099 - Food Preparations, Not Elsewhere Classified is the appropriate SIC code.
• Agricultural operations (NAICS 112990) are often eligible for specific types of agricultural insurance policies, including crop insurance equivalents for livestock operations.
• Processing facilities (NAICS 311999) are classified differently and may have different liability exposure profiles.
• NAICS 112990 typically qualifies; a miscellaneous services code may not.

Zoning and permits: Local zoning boards and permitting offices use your business classification when evaluating permits.

• An operation classified under agricultural production (112990) may have different zoning requirements, permitting pathways, and fee schedules than one classified as food manufacturing (311999).

What Are NAICS and SIC Codes?

NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes are the standard the US government uses to classify businesses by economic activity. They're used by the Census Bureau, IRS, SBA, insurance companies, and state agencies. Every business entity in the US has one or more NAICS codes associated with it depending on what they do.

SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes are an older classification system that predates NAICS. The federal government has largely transitioned to NAICS, but SIC codes are still used by some state agencies, insurance underwriters, and financial institutions. Both systems often appear on business registration documents, tax filings, and loan applications.

The Correct NAICS Code for Cricket Farming

NAICS 112990 - All Other Animal Production is the correct primary code for a commercial cricket farm that raises crickets for sale as live animals, feeder insects, or for processing. This code covers all commercial animal production not classified elsewhere in the 1129 series, which includes aquaculture (1125), apiculture (beekeeping, 11291), and other livestock and poultry.

Crickets are classified as animals under this framework, not as agricultural crops. This is the key distinction. Using an agricultural crop code (11X series) for a cricket farm is technically incorrect and can create problems with agricultural zoning classifications, insurance underwriting, and regulatory compliance.

NAICS 311999 - All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing applies if your primary activity is processing crickets into cricket flour or cricket meal. If your operation both farms and processes, you'll typically have a primary code (farming under 112990) and a secondary code (processing under 311999).

The Correct SIC Code for Cricket Farming

SIC 0919 - Miscellaneous Marine Products and Services is sometimes applied to insect farms incorrectly. The correct SIC code for a cricket farm is:

SIC 0279 - Animal Services, Not Elsewhere Classified for livestock farming operations.

For processing (cricket flour manufacturing), SIC 2099 - Food Preparations, Not Elsewhere Classified is the appropriate SIC code.

Note that SIC codes are more ambiguous for novel agricultural operations like insect farming than NAICS codes, because NAICS was updated more recently. In practice, the NAICS code will matter more in most business and regulatory contexts.

Why Your Classification Code Matters

Insurance: Business insurance underwriters use NAICS codes to determine rates and coverage eligibility. Agricultural operations (NAICS 112990) are often eligible for specific types of agricultural insurance policies, including crop insurance equivalents for livestock operations. Processing facilities (NAICS 311999) are classified differently and may have different liability exposure profiles. Using the wrong code means you might be paying incorrect premiums or, worse, your claims could be disputed if your actual activity doesn't match your classified code.

Agricultural tax treatment: In many states, agricultural producers receive favorable tax treatment on certain inputs - feed, equipment, utilities. Whether your cricket farm qualifies as an agricultural producer for state tax purposes often hinges on your NAICS classification. NAICS 112990 typically qualifies; a miscellaneous services code may not.

Zoning and permits: Local zoning boards and permitting offices use your business classification when evaluating permits. An operation classified under agricultural production (112990) may have different zoning requirements, permitting pathways, and fee schedules than one classified as food manufacturing (311999). Understanding this distinction helps you work through local approval processes more effectively.

SBA loan eligibility: Small Business Administration loan programs, including those targeting agricultural businesses, use NAICS codes to determine eligibility. NAICS 112990 places you in the agriculture sector, which is eligible for USDA programs including farm loans and agricultural development grants that a food manufacturing code wouldn't access.

USDA programs: Department of Agriculture programs for beginning farmers, farm conservation, and agricultural development are often limited to businesses classified as agricultural producers. The 112990 code is your credential for these programs. See cricket farm compliance overview for the broader regulatory picture.

What to Do If You Have the Wrong Code

If you've been using the wrong NAICS code, correcting it is usually straightforward:

1. Update your IRS business registration (if you have an EIN, the associated business type can be updated)
2. Update your state business registration with your state's secretary of state office
3. Notify your insurance carrier and ask them to re-evaluate your policy under the correct code
4. Update any SBA loan applications or USDA program registrations

The IRS doesn't penalize businesses for using incorrect NAICS codes historically, but accurate classification going forward is important for tax and regulatory purposes. If you're unsure whether past filings need correction, consult your tax advisor.

For most new cricket farms, establishing the right code from the start is easier than correcting it later. When you register your business entity (LLC or corporation), your state's registration form will ask for your primary business activity - use the 112990 description ("animal production") rather than a generic "agriculture" or "food manufacturing" description if those don't match your primary activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What NAICS code should I use for my cricket farm?

NAICS 112990 (All Other Animal Production) is the correct code for a commercial cricket farming operation. This code covers animal production activities not classified elsewhere in the 112 series. If your operation also processes crickets into cricket flour or cricket meal as a primary activity, add NAICS 311999 (All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing) as a secondary code. When filling out business registration forms, loan applications, or insurance applications, use 112990 as your primary code unless processing is a larger share of your revenue than farming, in which case 311999 may be more appropriate as your primary classification.

Does NAICS code affect how my cricket farm is insured?

Yes, significantly. Insurance underwriters use NAICS codes to determine what type of policy you need, what your premium rate should be, and what types of losses are covered. Agricultural production operations under NAICS 112990 are eligible for agricultural business insurance policies that may include livestock mortality coverage, which is relevant for die-off events in cricket farms. A manufacturing code (311999) puts you in a different insurance category with different risk assumptions. Using the wrong code can result in either paying the wrong premium or discovering that your coverage doesn't apply to an actual loss event - particularly problematic if your insurer argues your activity doesn't match the code on your policy.

Can I use the same NAICS code for both farming and cricket flour processing?

You can have multiple NAICS codes, which is the right approach if you do both. Most businesses have a primary code (the one that represents the largest share of revenue) and one or more secondary codes. For an operation that is primarily a cricket farm and secondarily a processing operation, use 112990 as your primary code and 311999 as a secondary code. For an operation where flour processing represents the majority of revenue, the codes might be reversed. Check with your state's business registration office - some states ask for only one code, in which case use whichever describes your primary activity.

How does CricketOps help track the metrics described in this article?

CricketOps provides bin-level logging for the variables that drive production outcomes -- feed inputs, environmental conditions, mortality events, and harvest results. Rather than maintaining these records in separate spreadsheets, you can view performance trends across bins and over time to identify which operational variables correlate with better outcomes in your specific facility.

Where can I find industry benchmarks to compare my operation's performance?

The North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA) publishes periodic industry reports with production benchmarks. University extension programs in agricultural states, including the University of Georgia and University of Florida IFAS, occasionally publish insect farming production data. Industry conferences hosted by the Entomological Society of America and the Insects to Feed the World symposium series are additional sources of peer benchmarking data.

What is the biggest operational mistake cricket farmers make in their first year?

Expanding bin count before achieving consistent FCR and mortality targets in existing bins is the most common and costly first-year mistake. At 5-10 bins, problems are manageable. At 30-50 bins, the same proportional problems represent much larger financial losses. Most experienced cricket farmers recommend holding expansion until you have three consecutive production cycles hitting your FCR and mortality targets.

Sources

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) -- Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security
• North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA)
• Entomological Society of America
• University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
• Journal of Insects as Food and Feed (Wageningen Academic Publishers)

Get Started with CricketOps

The practices covered in this article are easier to apply consistently when they are supported by organized production data. CricketOps gives cricket farmers the tools to track what matters -- by bin, by batch, and over time. Start your next production cycle in CricketOps and see how organized data changes the way you manage your operation.