Acetanilide herbicides are very useful for controlling certain weeds, especially grasses, in the presence of growing crops. However, many of the acetanilide herbicides injure certain crop plants slowing growth and development at application rates necessary to stunt or kill the weeds. Accordingly, some of the acetanilide herbicides cannot be used for controlling weeds in the presence of certain crops. Obviously, a safening agent consisting of a composition that could be used to treat the seed of the crop plant, the crop plant locus or the crop plant itself, resulting in a reduction of injury due to application of the herbicide without a corresponding reduction of herbicidal action on the weed, would be quite beneficial.