Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
Description
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of farm supplies, such as animal feeds, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, pesticides, plant seeds, and plant bulbs.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Wholesale Trade 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Wholesale Trade sector comprises establishments engaged in wholesaling merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise. The merchandise described in this sector includes the outputs of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and certain information industries, such as publishing. The wholesaling process is an intermediate step in the distribution of merchandise. Wholesalers are organized to sell or arrange the purchase or sale of (a) goods for resale (i.e., goods sold to other wholesalers or retailers), (b) capital or durable nonconsumer goods, and (c) raw and intermediate materials and supplies used in production. Wholesalers sell merchandise to other businesses and normally operate from a warehouse or office. These warehouses and offices are characterized by having little or no display of merchandise. In addition, neither the design nor the location of the premises is intended to solicit walk-in traffic. Wholesalers do not normally use advertising directed to the general public. Customers are generally reached initially via telephone, in-person marketing, or by specialized advertising that may include Internet and other electronic means. Follow-up orders are either vendor-initiated or client-initiated, generally based on previous sales, and typically exhibit strong ties between sellers and buyers. In fact, transactions are often conducted between wholesalers and clients that have long-standing business relationships. This sector comprises two main types of wholesalers: merchant wholesalers that sell goods on their own account and agents and brokers that arrange sales and purchases for others generally for a commission or fee. (1) Establishments that sell goods on their own account are known as wholesale merchants, distributors, jobbers, drop shippers, and import/export merchants. Also included as wholesale merchants are sales offices and sales branches (but not retail stores) maintained by manufacturing, refining, or mining enterprises apart from their plants or mines for the purpose of marketing their products, and group purchasing organizations primarily purchasing and selling goods on their own account. Merchant wholesale establishments typically maintain their own warehouse, where they receive and handle goods for their customers. Goods are generally sold without transformation, but may include integral functions, such as sorting, packaging, labeling, and other marketing services. (2) Establishments arranging for the purchase or sale of goods owned by others or purchasing goods, generally on a commission basis are known as business-to-business electronic markets, agents and brokers, commission merchants, import/export agents and brokers, auction companies, group purchasing organizations (acting as agents), and manufacturers' representatives. These establishments operate from offices and generally do not own or handle the goods they sell. Some wholesale establishments may be connected with a single manufacturer and promote and sell the particular manufacturer's products to a wide range of other wholesalers or retailers. Other wholesalers may be connected to a retail chain, or limited number of retail chains, and only provide a variety of products needed by that particular retail operation(s). These wholesalers may obtain the products from a wide range of manufacturers. Still other wholesalers may not take title to the goods, but act as agents and brokers for a commission. Although, in general, wholesaling normally denotes sales in large volumes, durable nonconsumer goods may be sold in single units. Sales of capital or durable nonconsumer goods used in the production of goods and services, such as farm machinery, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and industrial machinery, are always included in wholesale trade. |
| 424 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods subsector sell nondurable goods to other businesses. Nondurable goods are items generally with a normal life expectancy of less than three years. Nondurable goods merchant wholesale trade establishments are engaged in wholesaling products, such as paper and paper products, chemicals and chemical products, drugs, textiles and textile products, apparel, footwear, groceries, farm products, petroleum and petroleum products, alcoholic beverages, books, magazines, newspapers, flowers and nursery stock, and tobacco products. The detailed industries within the subsector are organized in the classification structure based on the products sold. Agents and brokers primarily engaged in wholesaling nondurable goods, generally on a commission or fee basis, are classified in Subsector 425, Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers. |
| 4249 | Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of nondurable goods, such as farm supplies; books, periodicals, and newspapers; flowers; nursery stock; paints; varnishes; tobacco and tobacco products; and other miscellaneous nondurable goods, such as cut Christmas trees and pet supplies. |
| 42491 | Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 424910. |
| 424910 | Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 6-digit U.S. detail | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of farm supplies, such as animal feeds, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, pesticides, plant seeds, and plant bulbs. |
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Classification References
- 01Merchant wholesale distribution of pet food--are classified in Industry 424490, Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers;
- 02Merchant wholesale distribution of grains--are classified in Industry 424510, Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers;
- 03Merchant wholesale distribution of pet supplies--are classified in Industry 424990, Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers; and
- 04Merchant wholesale distribution of nursery stock (except seeds and plant bulbs)--are classified in Industry 424930, Flower, Nursery Stock, and Florists' Supplies Merchant Wholesalers.
Index Items
Agricultural chemicals merchant wholesalers
Agricultural limestone merchant wholesalers
Alfalfa merchant wholesalers
Ammonia, fertilizer material, merchant wholesalers
Animal feeds (except pet food) merchant wholesalers
Beekeeping supplies merchant wholesalers
Chemicals, agricultural, merchant wholesalers
Farm supplies merchant wholesalers
Feed additives merchant wholesalers
Feeds (except pet) merchant wholesalers
Fertilizer and fertilizer materials merchant wholesalers
Flower bulbs merchant wholesalers
Fungicides, agricultural, merchant wholesalers
Garden supplies (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides) merchant wholesalers
Harness equipment merchant wholesalers
Hay merchant wholesalers
Herbicides merchant wholesalers
Horticultural products merchant wholesalers
Insecticides, agricultural, merchant wholesalers
Lawn care supplies (e.g., chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides) merchant wholesalers
Lime, agricultural, merchant wholesalers
Livestock feeds merchant wholesalers
Mineral supplements, animal, merchant wholesalers
Mulch merchant wholesalers
Pesticides, agricultural, merchant wholesalers
Phosphate rock, ground, merchant wholesalers
Plant bulbs merchant wholesalers
Produce containers merchant wholesalers
Saddlery merchant wholesalers
Seeds (e.g., field, flower, garden) merchant wholesalers
Straw merchant wholesalers
Tack (e.g., harnesses, saddlery) merchant wholesalers
Vegetable dusts and sprays merchant wholesalers
Weed killers merchant wholesalers
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External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 424910.
Farm Bureau Foundation
A trade association offering resources and news specifically focused on the farm supply industry.
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Farm Service Agency
A government page providing data and guidelines on how farmers purchase agricultural equipment and supplies.
Wholesalers Directory
An industry directory listing specific wholesale businesses operating under the NAICS code 424910.
