 the agricultural health study , a large prospective cohort study has been initiated in north carolina and iowa . 
 the objectives of this study are to : 1 ) identify and quantify cancer risks among men , women , whites , and minorities associated with direct exposure to pesticides and other agricultural agents ; 2 ) evaluate noncancer health risks including neurotoxicity reproductive effects , immunologic effects , nonmalignant respiratory disease , kidney disease , and growth and development among children ; 3 ) evaluate disease risks among spouses and children of farmers that may arise from direct contact with pesticides and agricultural chemicals used in the home lawns and gardens , and from indirect contact , such as spray drift , laundering work clothes , or contaminated food or water ; 4 ) assess current and past occupational and nonoccupational agricultural exposures using periodic interviews and environmental and biologic monitoring ; 5 ) study the relationship between agricultural exposures , biomarkers of exposure , biologic effect , and genetic susceptibility factors relevant to carcinogenesis ; and 6 ) identify and quantify cancer and other disease risks associated with lifestyle factors such as diet , cooking practices , physical activity , smoking and alcohol consumption , and hair dye use . in the first year of a 3-year enrollment period , 26,235 people have been enrolled in the study , including 19,776 registered pesticide applicators and 6,459 spouses of registered farmer applicators . 
 it is estimated that when the total cohort is assembled in 1997 it will include approximately 75,000 adult study subjects . 
 farmers , the largest group of registered pesticide applicators comprise 77% of the target population enrolled in the study . 
 this experience compares favorably with enrollment rates of previous prospective studies.imagesfigure 1.figure 2.figure 3.figure 4 . 
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