Planned Merger with DuPont (Notes)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
PLANNED MERGER WITH DUPONT [Abstract]
Proposed Merger with DuPont [Text Block]	PLANNED MERGER WITH DUPONT On December 11, 2015, Dow and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, as amended on March 31, 2017 (the "Merger Agreement"), to effect an all-stock, merger of equals strategic combination resulting in a newly formed corporation named DowDuPont Inc. ("DowDuPont"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Dow and DuPont will each merge with wholly owned subsidiaries of DowDuPont (the "Mergers") and, as a result of the Mergers, will become subsidiaries of DowDuPont (collectively, the "Merger Transaction"). Following the consummation of the Mergers, Dow and DuPont intend to pursue, subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals and approval by the board of directors of DowDuPont, the separation of the combined company’s agricultural business, specialty products business and materials science business through one or more tax-efficient transactions. On March 27, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that the European Commission ("EC") granted conditional approval in Europe of the companies' proposed merger of equals. The EC's approval was conditioned on DuPont and Dow fulfilling certain divestiture commitments given to the EC in connection with the clearance. Specifically, DuPont will divest its Cereal Broadleaf Herbicides and Chewing Insecticides portfolios as well as its Crop Protection research and development ("R&D") pipeline and organization (excluding seed treatment, nematicides, late-stage R&D programs and certain personnel needed to support marketed products and R&D programs that will remain with DuPont) (collectively, the "DuPont Divested Assets"). Dow will divest its global Ethylene Acrylic Acid ("EAA") copolymers and ionomers business to SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd., as announced on February 2, 2017. Dow's divestiture of the EAA business is conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing the Merger Transaction, in addition to other customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain required regulatory approvals, local employment law and governance obligations. On March 31, 2017, in connection with the commitments given to the EC with respect to its conditional approval of the Merger Transaction, DuPont entered into an agreement with FMC Corporation ("FMC") whereby FMC will acquire the DuPont Divested Assets and DuPont will acquire FMC's Health and Nutrition business segment, excluding its Omega-3 products (the "H&N Business"). DuPont's transaction with FMC is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017, subject to the closing of the Merger Transaction, in addition to the waiver or satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, including approval by the EC of FMC as the buyer of the DuPont Divested Assets and the receipt of other required regulatory approvals. In connection with DuPont's proposed transaction with FMC, on March 31, 2017, Dow and DuPont amended the Merger Agreement to, among other things, extend the outside date from June 15, 2017 to August 31, 2017, and to provide that DuPont cannot take certain specified actions to obtain regulatory approvals with respect to its acquisition of the H&N Business if those actions would reasonably be likely to result in the one-year loss of revenues to Dow, DuPont, DowDuPont, their subsidiaries or the H&N Business in excess of $350 million in the aggregate (based on fiscal year 2016 annual revenues). In addition, the amendment of the Merger Agreement also amended the form of bylaws for DowDuPont to reflect that Dow and DuPont currently intend that the first step in the intended separation process will be the spin-off of the post-merger materials science business (assuming that such sequencing would allow for the completion of all of the intended spin-offs within 18 months following closing of the Merger Transaction and would not adversely impact the value of the intended spin-off transaction to DowDuPont's shareholders). On May 2, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that China's Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM") granted conditional regulatory approval for the companies' proposed merger of equals which includes commitments already made to the EC including DuPont's divestiture of the DuPont Divested Assets and Dow's divestiture of the EAA copolymers and ionomers business. In addition, Dow and DuPont have made commitments related to the supply and distribution in China of certain herbicide and insecticide ingredients and formulations for rice crops for five years after the closing of the Merger Transaction. On May 17, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense ("CADE") granted conditional regulatory approval of the companies' proposed merger of equals. CADE's approval is subject to Dow's divestment of a select portion of Dow AgroSciences' corn seed business in Brazil, including some seed processing plants and seed research centers, a copy of Dow AgroSciences' Brazilian corn germplasm bank, the MORGAN™ brand and a license for the use of the DOW SEMENTES™ brand for a certain period of time (collectively, the "Dow Divested Assets"), and is incremental to commitments already made to the EC, China and regulatory agencies in other jurisdictions. On July 11, 2017, Dow announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Dow Divested Assets to CITIC Agri Fund, which is conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing the Merger Transaction and approval by CADE. On June 15, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that a proposed agreement has been reached with the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice that will permit the companies to proceed with the proposed merger of equals transaction. The proposed agreement is consistent with commitments already made to the EC. On June 28, 2017, the Board of Directors ("Boards") of Dow and DuPont reiterated their support of the proposed merger of equals transaction. In addition, the Boards announced their support of a comprehensive portfolio review for DowDuPont, which is intended to assess current business facts and leverage the knowledge gained over the past year and a half to capture any material value-enhancing opportunities in preparation for the intended creation of three industry-leading companies. Dow and DuPont remain focused on closing the Merger Transaction. Closing is expected to occur in August 2017.

PLANNED MERGER WITH DUPONT

On December 11, 2015, Dow and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, as amended on March 31, 2017 (the "Merger Agreement"), to effect an all-stock, merger of equals strategic combination resulting in a newly formed corporation named DowDuPont Inc. ("DowDuPont"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Dow and DuPont will each merge with wholly owned subsidiaries of DowDuPont (the "Mergers") and, as a result of the Mergers, will become subsidiaries of DowDuPont (collectively, the "Merger Transaction"). Following the consummation of the Mergers, Dow and DuPont intend to pursue, subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals and approval by the board of directors of DowDuPont, the separation of the combined company’s agricultural business, specialty products business and materials science business through one or more tax-efficient transactions.

On March 27, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that the European Commission ("EC") granted conditional approval in Europe of the companies' proposed merger of equals. The EC's approval was conditioned on DuPont and Dow fulfilling certain divestiture commitments given to the EC in connection with the clearance. Specifically, DuPont will divest its Cereal Broadleaf Herbicides and Chewing Insecticides portfolios as well as its Crop Protection research and development ("R&D") pipeline and organization (excluding seed treatment, nematicides, late-stage R&D programs and certain personnel needed to support marketed products and R&D programs that will remain with DuPont) (collectively, the "DuPont Divested Assets"). Dow will divest its global Ethylene Acrylic Acid ("EAA") copolymers and ionomers business to SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd., as announced on February 2, 2017. Dow's divestiture of the EAA business is conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing the Merger Transaction, in addition to other customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain required regulatory approvals, local employment law and governance obligations.

On March 31, 2017, in connection with the commitments given to the EC with respect to its conditional approval of the Merger Transaction, DuPont entered into an agreement with FMC Corporation ("FMC") whereby FMC will acquire the DuPont Divested Assets and DuPont will acquire FMC's Health and Nutrition business segment, excluding its Omega-3 products (the "H&N Business"). DuPont's transaction with FMC is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017, subject to the closing of the Merger Transaction, in addition to the waiver or satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, including approval by the EC of FMC as the buyer of the DuPont Divested Assets and the receipt of other required regulatory approvals.

In connection with DuPont's proposed transaction with FMC, on March 31, 2017, Dow and DuPont amended the Merger Agreement to, among other things, extend the outside date from June 15, 2017 to August 31, 2017, and to provide that DuPont cannot take certain specified actions to obtain regulatory approvals with respect to its acquisition of the H&N Business if those actions would reasonably be likely to result in the one-year loss of revenues to Dow, DuPont, DowDuPont, their subsidiaries or the H&N Business in excess of $350 million in the aggregate (based on fiscal year 2016 annual revenues). In addition, the amendment of the Merger Agreement also amended the form of bylaws for DowDuPont to reflect that Dow and DuPont currently intend that the first step in the intended separation process will be the spin-off of the post-merger materials science business (assuming that such sequencing would allow for the completion of all of the intended spin-offs within 18 months following closing of the Merger Transaction and would not adversely impact the value of the intended spin-off transaction to DowDuPont's shareholders).

On May 2, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that China's Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM") granted conditional regulatory approval for the companies' proposed merger of equals which includes commitments already made to the EC including DuPont's divestiture of the DuPont Divested Assets and Dow's divestiture of the EAA copolymers and ionomers business. In addition, Dow and DuPont have made commitments related to the supply and distribution in China of certain herbicide and insecticide ingredients and formulations for rice crops for five years after the closing of the Merger Transaction.

On May 17, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense ("CADE") granted conditional regulatory approval of the companies' proposed merger of equals. CADE's approval is subject to Dow's divestment of a select portion of Dow AgroSciences' corn seed business in Brazil, including some seed processing plants and seed research centers, a copy of Dow AgroSciences' Brazilian corn germplasm bank, the MORGAN™ brand and a license for the use of the DOW SEMENTES™ brand for a certain period of time (collectively, the "Dow Divested Assets"), and is incremental to commitments already made to the EC, China and regulatory agencies in other jurisdictions. On July 11, 2017, Dow announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Dow Divested Assets to CITIC Agri Fund, which is conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing the Merger Transaction and approval by CADE.

On June 15, 2017, Dow and DuPont announced that a proposed agreement has been reached with the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice that will permit the companies to proceed with the proposed merger of equals transaction. The proposed agreement is consistent with commitments already made to the EC.

On June 28, 2017, the Board of Directors ("Boards") of Dow and DuPont reiterated their support of the proposed merger of equals transaction. In addition, the Boards announced their support of a comprehensive portfolio review for DowDuPont, which is intended to assess current business facts and leverage the knowledge gained over the past year and a half to capture any material value-enhancing opportunities in preparation for the intended creation of three industry-leading companies.

Dow and DuPont remain focused on closing the Merger Transaction. Closing is expected to occur in August 2017.