As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 29, 2002.
                                                      Registration No. 333-59964
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                 _______________

                         Post-Effective Amendment No. 1
                        filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) to
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                 _______________

                            THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Delaware                              38-1285128
   (State or other jurisdiction of      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
   incorporation or organization)

                                 2030 Dow Center
                             Midland, Michigan 48674
                                 (989) 636-1000
   (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                    registrant's principal executive offices)

                               Richard L. Manetta
                       Vice President and General Counsel
                            The Dow Chemical Company
                                 2030 Dow Center
                             Midland, Michigan 48674
                                 (989) 636-1000
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                              of agent for service)
                                 _______________

                                   A copy to:

                                 Edward S. Best
                            Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw
                            190 South LaSalle Street
                             Chicago, Illinois 60603
                                 (312) 782-0600
                                 _______________

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time
to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

     If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. [_]

     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]

     If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [_]

         If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule
462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities
Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration
statement for the same offering. [_]

         If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule
434, please check the following box. [_]



                                EXPLANATORY NOTE

       This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (File No. 333-59964) of The Dow Chemical Company is filed pursuant to Rule
462(d) solely to add certain exhibits not previously filed with respect to the
Registration Statement.

                                      II-1



                PART II -- INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS


Item 16.  Exhibits

        Exhibit    Description
        Number     -----------
        ------

        1.2        Underwriting Agreement, dated as of August 23, 2002, among
                   The Dow Chemical Company, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
                   Smith Incorporated, Banc One Capital Markets, Inc., Tokyo-
                   Mitsubishi International plc and Wachovia Securities, Inc.

        4.8        Form of Global Note for 6% Notes due 2012

        5.2        Opinion of Charles J. Kalil, Assistant General Counsel of Dow

        23.3       Consent of Charles J. Kalil (included in Exhibit 5.2)

All of the foregoing exhibits are filed herewith.

                                      II-2



                                   SIGNATURES

       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this
post-effective amendment to the registration statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the County of Midland,
State of Michigan, on August 29, 2002.

                                                THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY


                                                By: /s/  J. Pedro Reinhard
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    J. Pedro Reinhard
                                                    Executive Vice President and
                                                    Chief Financial Officer

       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
post-effective amendment to the registration statement has been signed by the
following persons in the capacities indicated on August 29, 2002:


                                   

                                      Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
                                      (principal executive officer)
                      *
    ----------------------------
    M. D. Parker
                                      Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
                                      Officer (principal financial officer)
                      *
    ----------------------------
    J. P. Reinhard


                      *               Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting
    ----------------------------      Officer)
    F. H. Brod


                      *               Director and Executive Vice President
    ----------------------------
    A. A. Allemang


                      *               Director
    ----------------------------
    J. K. Barton


                      *               Director and Vice Chairman of the Board
    ----------------------------
    A. J. Carbone


                      *               Director
    ----------------------------
    J. M. Cook


                      *               Director
    ----------------------------
    J. C. Danforth




                      *                     Director
    ----------------------------------
    W. D. Davis


                      *                     Director
    ----------------------------------
    B. H. Franklin


                      *                     Director
    ----------------------------------
    J. M. Ringler


                      *                     Director
    ----------------------------------
    H. T. Shapiro


                      *                     Director and Chairman of the Board
    ----------------------------------
    W. S. Stavropoulos


                      *                     Director
    ----------------------------------
    P. G. Stern


* By: /s/ J. Pedro Reinhard
     ----------------------------------
      J. Pedro Reinhard
      Attorney-in-Fact



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit          Description
Number           -----------
------

1.2              Underwriting Agreement, dated as of August 23, 2002, among
                 The Dow Chemical Company, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
                 Smith Incorporated, Banc One Capital Markets, Inc., Tokyo-
                 Mitsubishi International plc and Wachovia Securities, Inc.

4.8              Form of Global Note for 6% Notes due 2012

5.2              Opinion of Charles J. Kalil, Assistant General Counsel of Dow

23.3             Consent of Charles J. Kalil (included in Exhibit 5.2)