FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Weideman William H 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 05/01/2006 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol DOW CHEMICAL CO /DE/ [DOW] (Last) (First) (Middle) 2030 DOW CENTER 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Vice President & Controller 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) MIDLAND, MI 48674 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 48,806.109 D   Common Stock 1,265.607 I by 401(k) Plan Common Stock 1,453.691 I by 401(k) Plan ESOP

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (2)	02/12/2007	Common Stock	4,500	$ 26.6458	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (3)	02/27/2008	Common Stock	9,000	$ 30.5208	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (4)	02/16/2009	Common Stock	12,000	$ 31.1042	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (5)	02/16/2010	Common Stock	15,000	$ 36.0208	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (6)	03/02/2011	Common Stock	6,000	$ 33.94	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (7)	02/15/2012	Common Stock	7,500	$ 30.425	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (8)	02/14/2013	Common Stock	12,250	$ 27.4	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (9)	02/13/2014	Common Stock	11,670	$ 43.49	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (10)	02/18/2015	Common Stock	13,340	$ 53.525	D	Â
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1)	  (11)	03/01/2016	Common Stock	16,190	$ 43.675	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Weideman William H 2030 DOW CENTER MIDLAND, MI 48674	Â	Â	  Vice President & Controller	Â

Signatures

William H. Weideman, Vice President & Controller		05/04/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Granted under The Dow Chemical Company 1988 Award and Option Plan, a Rule 16b-3 plan. The Plan provides for tax withholding rights.
(2)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 12, 1998.
(3)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 27, 1999.
(4)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 16, 2000.
(5)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 16, 2001.
(6)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on March 2, 2002.
(7)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 15, 2003.
(8)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 14, 2004.
(9)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 13, 2005.
(10)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on February 18, 2006.
(11)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on March 1, 2007.

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