NAICS 115115 Quarterly Industry Report
Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 115115Sector: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value industry report for NAICS 115115 provides valuation-focused intelligence for professionals assessing farm labor contracting and agricultural crew management businesses. Additional data is drawn from U.S. Census Bureau[9].. Data is sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics[7] agricultural wage surveys, USDA NASS[8] Farm Labor Survey data, and SBA size standards[10] to support business appraisals, acquisition due diligence, lending decisions, and investment analysis for farm labor contracting enterprises.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the farm labor contractors and crew leaders industry.
Industry Definition & Overview
Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders (NAICS 115115) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in supplying labor for agricultural production or harvesting activities. These labor contracting operations recruit, transport, and manage seasonal and temporary agricultural workers for crop producers, livestock operations, and food processing facilities across the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau[5] classifies farm labor contracting separately from farm management services (NAICS 115116) and temporary staffing agencies (NAICS 561320), recognizing the specialized agricultural workforce supply function.
Farm labor contractors serve as intermediaries between agricultural employers and workers, handling recruitment, payroll, worker transportation, housing coordination, and regulatory compliance on behalf of farm operators. The U.S. Department of Labor[6] administers the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), which establishes registration, disclosure, recordkeeping, and safety requirements for farm labor contractors. H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa program usage has grown substantially as domestic farm labor supply has tightened, with the Department of Labor[6] approving hundreds of thousands of temporary agricultural worker positions annually.
Business valuations for farm labor contracting operations center on established grower client relationships, worker recruitment networks, regulatory compliance track records, and management systems for payroll, transportation, and housing. Appraisers must evaluate the transferability of grower contracts, labor contractor registration status with state and federal agencies, worker retention rates, geographic coverage across multiple production regions, and the seasonal revenue patterns that peak during planting and harvest cycles. The Bureau of Labor Statistics[7] farm labor wage data and USDA NASS[8] Farm Labor Survey results inform cost projections in valuation models for agricultural labor contracting enterprises.
What's Included in This Industry
- Sector-specific valuation multiples and financial benchmarks for farm labor contracting and crew management operations
- Revenue and profitability analysis across crop harvesting labor, planting crews, livestock labor, and food processing staffing segments
- SBA size standard classification and lending threshold data for NAICS 115115
- Comparable transaction data from recent farm labor contracting business sales, crew leader operations, and agricultural staffing company acquisitions
- Market analysis covering agricultural wage trends, H-2A visa program growth, and regional farm labor supply and demand dynamics
- Workforce management cost benchmarking for worker recruitment, transportation, housing, insurance, and regulatory compliance expenses
- Industry risk assessment including labor law compliance, worker safety liability, immigration policy changes, and grower payment reliability
- Regulatory compliance overview covering MSPA registration, H-2A visa requirements, wage and hour laws, and worker transportation safety
- Capital expenditure profiles for worker transportation vehicles, field housing and sanitation facilities, and payroll management systems
- Production metrics including workers placed per season, billable hours per worker, client retention rates, and revenue per worker benchmarks
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 |
| Subsector | Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry | 115 |
| Industry Group | Support Activities for Crop Production | 1151 |
| NAICS Industry | Support Activities for Crop Production | 11511 |
| National Industry | Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders | 115115 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 115116 | Farm Management Services | Farm management service providers that contract farm labor through their own operations and coordinate workforce needs for managed agricultural properties |
| 115113 | Crop Harvesting, Primarily by Machine | Crop harvesting service operations that hire seasonal workers through farm labor contractors for custom combining and mechanical harvest crew positions |
| 115112 | Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating | Soil preparation, planting, and cultivating service providers that source seasonal workers from farm labor contractors during peak spring planting seasons |
| 561320 | Temporary Help Services | Temporary help services agencies that provide non-agricultural staffing and share workforce recruitment, payroll processing, and employment management practices |
| 111419 | Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover | Other food crop farming operations that rely heavily on farm labor contractors for seasonal hand-harvest workers during fruit and vegetable picking seasons |
| 311991 | Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing | Perishable prepared food manufacturing operations sourcing seasonal processing workers through farm labor contractors during peak production and packing periods |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 34.9% | 225 |
| 2 | Oregon | 10.4% | 67 |
| 3 | Florida | 6.5% | 42 |
| 4 | Washington | 4.5% | 29 |
| 5 | Texas | 4.3% | 28 |
| 6 | Arizona | 3.4% | 22 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 3.1% | 20 |
| 8 | Georgia | 3.0% | 19 |
| 9 | Idaho | 2.2% | 14 |
| 10 | Michigan | 2.0% | 13 |
% Of Establishments
0%
35%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
80
Total SBA Loans
$13.6M
Total Loan Volume
$170K
Average Loan Size
12 yrs
Average Loan Term
9.99%
Average Interest Rate
688
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: The SBA[11] classifies Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders (NAICS 115115) with a size standard of $19.0 million in average annual receipts. Farm labor contracting businesses within this threshold qualify for SBA-backed lending[12] and government contracting preferences supporting agricultural workforce development. Eligible businesses can access SBA 7(a) loans[13] for working capital, equipment, and acquisition financing, while 504 loans[14] support major fixed-asset purchases including real estate and heavy machinery.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bank of America, National Association | 24 | $10.3M | $431K |
| 2 | TD Bank, National Association | 8 | $1.5M | $188K |
| 3 | Northeast Bank | 16 | $1.0M | $65K |
| 4 | Columbia Bank | 8 | $400K | $50K |
| 5 | Banner Bank | 8 | $160K | $20K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for farm labor contractors?
Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders is classified under NAICS code 115115, covering establishments supplying labor for agricultural production or harvesting per the U.S. Census Bureau[5] industry classification system.
What is the SBA size standard for farm labor contractors?
The SBA[11] sets the size standard for NAICS 115115 at $19.0 million in average annual receipts, qualifying eligible farm labor contracting businesses for small business lending programs.
What regulations govern farm labor contractors?
The U.S. Department of Labor[6] administers the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), requiring farm labor contractors to register federally, maintain employment records, and meet transportation and housing safety standards.
How are farm labor contracting businesses valued?
Valuations focus on established grower client relationships, worker recruitment networks, regulatory compliance records, management systems, and seasonal revenue patterns per Bureau of Labor Statistics[7] agricultural wage and employment data.
How has the H-2A visa program affected farm labor contracting?
H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa approvals have grown substantially as domestic labor supply has tightened, with the Department of Labor[6] certifying hundreds of thousands of temporary positions that farm labor contractors help employers fill annually.
What risks affect farm labor contracting operations?
Major risks include labor law violation liability, worker safety and injury claims, immigration policy changes, grower payment reliability, seasonal revenue concentration, and competition for workers from other agricultural employers and labor contractors.
What services do farm labor contractors provide?
Services include worker recruitment, transportation to job sites, payroll and tax administration, housing coordination, regulatory compliance management, and crew supervision per Department of Labor[6] farm labor contractor registration requirements.
What regions use the most farm labor contracting?
California, Florida, Washington, Oregon, and other states with large fruit, vegetable, and specialty crop production generate the highest demand for contract farm labor per USDA NASS[8] Farm Labor Survey regional employment data.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [6]U.S. Department of Labor dol.gov
- [7]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [8]USDA NASS nass.usda.gov
- [9]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [10]SBA size standards sba.gov
- [11]SBA sba.gov
- [12]SBA-backed lending sba.gov
- [13]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [14]504 loans sba.gov
Disclaimer
This publication has been prepared by Fair Market Value (“Fair Market Value”) for informational purposes only. It is provided on an “as-is” and “as available” basis. Fair Market Value makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, completeness, or accuracy of the data or information contained herein. This publication is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, professional financial, legal, tax, or investment advice. Users should consult with qualified professionals before making any financial or business decisions based on the information presented.
To the extent permitted by law, Fair Market Value disclaims all liability for loss or damage, direct and indirect, suffered or incurred by any person resulting from the use of, or reliance upon, the data in this publication.
Copyright © 2026 Fair Market Value. All rights reserved. All data, information, articles, graphs, and content contained in this publication are copyrighted works and Fair Market Value hereby reserves all rights. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded to a third party, or distributed without the prior written permission of Fair Market Value.