Deidre Iciek thought she was marrying a teacher. But life had different plans.

Today, she leads a growing dairy operation alongside her husband, mentors other producers, and was recently honored as a recipient of a national award recognizing her dedication to agriculture and supporting the next generation of female farmers. The recognition was a fitting milestone in a journey that took Deidre from a reluctant farmer to a nationally recognized leader in the industry.

Growing Into Opportunity

Deidre met her husband, Walter, while they were students at Michigan State University. Walter was studying agricultural education with plans to become a teacher and FFA advisor. Deidre earned a degree in environmental studies and envisioned a career supporting agriculture from the outside, not running a farm herself.

“I thought I was marrying a teacher,” Deidre said with a smile. “I thought we were going to have summers off and spend time hanging out at county fairs. This was not in the plan.”

Walter was raised on a small dairy operation near Gladwin, Mich. His father had grown up on a dairy farm before pursuing a career as an engineer and later purchased the dairy so his own family could experience farm life.

After the Icieks married, Walter spent a brief time teaching before returning to work on his family’s farm. Deidre built a career in environmental compliance and agricultural consulting. While Walter increasingly saw a future for their family in dairy farming, Deidre remained unconvinced.

“I was very, very hesitant,” she said. “I understood the time commitment, the financial investment, and the sacrifices that come with operating a dairy farm.”

A few years later, as Deidre completed her master’s degree at Central Michigan University, the couple made a decision that would shape their future. They packed up their life and moved to Colorado.

“We didn’t have kids at that point. We wanted to go somewhere else and try something new for a while,” Deidre said.

Deidre and Walter both found jobs within agriculture and were exposed to successful operations, innovative business leaders, and key mentors who helped them see the potential in growing their own operation back in Michigan.

In 2014, the couple returned to Michigan and sat down with Walter’s parents to discuss the future of the operation. If they were going to take over the farm, they wanted to grow it into a full-scale operation using what they learned during their time in Colorado.

“There was an opportunity here, obviously, to be able to scale and grow and make something more viable, but it was going to take a vision,” Deidre said.

The timing seemed ideal. Dairy prices were strong and optimism was high. But shortly after making the leap and moving back to Michigan, market conditions deteriorated. The next several years tested every assumption they had made. Like many dairy producers during that period, the Icieks found themselves navigating low milk prices, market oversupply and relentless financial pressure. Those difficult years reinforced one of the most important lessons of their journey — success does not happen alone.

As the operation evolved, so did the Icieks’ relationship with GreenStone.

As young and beginning farmers, the Icieks were enrolled in GreenStone’s CultivateGrowth program. Through the program, they were paired with a mentor to help guide them through challenges of growing their operation. Henrik Eggink, their mentor, provided invaluable support and they still stay in touch with him to this day.

According to Deidre, the most important lesson she and Walter learned during these early years was learning to seek advice, ask questions, and surround themselves with people who had achieved the things they could only dream about doing.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” she said.

That growth mindset became a foundation for the Iciek’s business. Through CultivateGrowth financing opportunities and guidance from GreenStone financial experts, they were able to pursue strategic opportunities as they arose, including farmland purchases critical to the future of their business.

Today, the operation’s success rests on a philosophy that extends far beyond production numbers.

“We consider ourselves to be founded on relationships,” Deidre said. “We’ve built a really strong culture. We don’t ever want just a warm body filling a job. We want people who invest in us and we invest in them.”

The same philosophy extends to how the Icieks care for their animals.

“Our animals’ health is very, very important to us,” Deidre said. “We have really high standards for how our cows are taken care of.”

As their dairy has expanded, the Icieks have remained committed to growing without compromising the principles that got them where they are today. Employee relationships, animal husbandry, stewardship, and long-term sustainability remain foundational to every decision they make.

 

Tara Parr, VP of agribusiness lending at GreenStone, has worked closely with the Icieks as they have expanded their dairy.

“It has been a privilege to work alongside the Icieks as they have grown their operation over the years. Their dedication and innovation have been evident every step of the way, with a forward-thinking approach to growing their operation,” Tara said.

That commitment has also shaped Deidre’s work off the farm.

Drawing from her background in environmental consulting, she spent years helping agricultural producers navigate regulatory requirements, conservation practices, and sustainability initiatives. Along the way, she found herself learning as much from the producers she worked with as they learned from her.

Over time, her consulting work shifted toward conservation and regenerative agriculture. She has implemented many of these practices on her own operation.

“We’ve had tremendous success with it here,” Deidre said. “We really believe … it has drastically improved our soils and our crops.”

From First Time Farmer to Industry Leader

Earlier this year, Deidre was honored as a recipient of the Advancing Women in Agriculture through Resilience & Distinction (AWARD) program, a national initiative created by the Farm Credit Council to recognize women who demonstrate dedication to agriculture, leadership within their communities, and a commitment to advancing the industry. The experience culminated with a special session of the FCCS Women of Distinction Program in Gettysburg, Penn., bringing together female agricultural leaders from across the country.

For those who know Deidre’s story, the honor represents much more than a professional accolade.

“Deidre wants to make the world around her better for the benefit of other people. Whether it is our farm, the school playground, or her 4-H club. The girl I fell in love with in college wanted to make the world better. Now, she’s the woman doing just that,” said Walter.

Years earlier, Deidre never envisioned herself operating a dairy farm, let alone helping lead a growing dairy enterprise while contributing to conversations around farm management, environmental stewardship, and the future of agriculture. What began as reluctance toward farm ownership gradually transformed into a leadership role that extends well beyond her own operation.

Her recognition through the AWARD program serves as a testament not only to the growth of the Iciek’s operation, but also to her impact as an agricultural leader and as an example for the next generation of women in the industry.

“Deidre’s passion not only for the dairy industry, but agriculture, is evident in her being named one of Farm Credit’s AWARD winners for the International Year of the Woman Farmer. She approaches every opportunity with determination and a clear vision for the future,” Tara said.

Today, the operation continues to evolve. About a year ago, the Icieks expanded by taking on a second dairy facility in Clare, Mich., creating new opportunities and new challenges. When asked where the business will be in five or 10 years, Deidre reflects on how far they’ve already come.

“We’ve already achieved more than what I ever envisioned,” she said.

Much of that vision now centers on the next generation. The couple’s two sons, Judah and Casey, are still young, and Deidre hopes to create opportunities for them without obligating them to take over the family business.

 

“It would be great if our kids wanted to do this someday,” she said. “Our goal is creating something that’s there for them if they want to take it over, but also not putting pressure on them.”

For Deidre, the future is less about pursuing a predetermined destination and more about remaining open to opportunities and taking advantage of them when they arise. Her recognition through the AWARD program serves as an exclamation point on that journey. It recognizes not only the success of a growing dairy operation, but also the influence of a woman whose leadership is helping strengthen agriculture and inspire future generations of women in the industry.

 

To view the article in the online 2026 Fall Partners Magazine, click here.