Dairy Women’s Network launches NZ farming Monopoly board game

Dairy Women's Network chief executive Jules Benton (foreground) and the team celebrate the launch of their limited-edition Monopoly board game. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography

Dairy Women’s Network is releasing a New Zealand dairy farming edition of Monopoly, featuring the people, places and seasonal themes of the sector.

The limited‑run game will be available through Farm Source stores, with sales timed to coincide with the Dairy Women’s Network Conference 2026 and Moving Day at the start of the new dairy season.

Dairy Women’s Network chief executive Jules Benton said the idea grew from a simple question: how do you tell the dairy story in a way the family can enjoy?

“Most of us have sat around the table for hours playing Monopoly at some point,” she said.

“We wanted to take that familiar game and make it our own, so the board looks and feels like dairy life, the good days, the hard calls, and everything in between.”

Instead of buying and trading city streets, players travel through well‑known dairy regions and key parts of the farming calendar, including calving, mating, milk pick‑up, community days and more.

The cards draw on real‑life situations farmers face, and the board features custom tokens and artwork that reflect the four seasons on the farm.

“It’s recognisable straight away as Monopoly, but the detail is very much home-grown,” Benton said.

“People will see places and scenarios they know and hopefully have a few laughs along the way.”

Proceeds from the game will help the Dairy Women’s Network continue its work supporting people in the sector through workshops, events, and resources that build confidence, skills, and connection.

“It’s a fun way to give back to the sector and invest in its future at the same time,” Benton said.

A wide range of agribusinesses are involved in the game, represented through properties, cards, tokens and other elements.

“We’ve had strong support from across the sector, which really reflects how connected our industry is,” Benton said.

The Dairy Women’s Network Monopoly NZ dairy farming edition will be officially launched with Farm Source in Te Awamutu on May 1, where attendees will have a chance to play on a life-size board.

The launch coincides with Farm Source’s Pie Day Friday celebrations.

Dairy Women’s Network will also be celebrating the launch at Farm Source stores in Reporoa, Kaponga, Dannevirke, Culverden and Winton, with the game available to purchase at all Farm Source stores nationwide.