Alfie Oakes hails from Naples, Florida where he has established an agribusiness known as Oakes Farms which maintains services “that reach a global market and include farming, packing, shipping, retail markets and food service and seafood distribution” as described on their website. Additionally, he is the owner of Seed to Table, one of the most successful grocery stores in the United States and oversees multiple establishments such as Fruit Dynamics and a popular café called Food and Thought.
Oakes started selling produce with his parents at 10 years old. He ventured out on his own at 15, with his own vegetable stand in Cape Coral. In lieu of college, Oakes focused on growing his agribusiness and now has a net worth estimated at $50 million dollars. He supplies produce to various governmental agencies through multi-million dollar government contracts.
In 2020, Oakes was elected as a state committee member to represent Collier County in southwest Florida. His political ideas and opinions most notably about Covid-19 government policy and the Black Lives Matter movement earned him some political foes and were often contested by the media. However, as Alfie explained to Cancel Comeback, "My opposition of Black Lives Matter and Covid gave me a lot of friends too. In fact, I think they gave me more friends."
As a response to opposition from protestors, the school districts of Lee and Collier Counties terminated multi-year business contracts with Oakes Farms. Mr. Oakes responded with a $50 million dollar lawsuit.
The Lee County school district canceled a multi-million-dollar contract with Oakes Farms for fresh fruits and vegetables. The contract was in effect through 2024. Oakes responded with a $50 million lawsuit against the Lee School District.
“The abrupt disengagement of the contract was done in retaliation against Alfie Oakes and his company, Oakes Farms, for his speech on matters of public concern,” according to the suit, which was crafted by Naples attorney Steven Bracci. Oakes, who seeks $50 million from the Lee County school district as damages, asserted on Thursday that what he did is a First Amendment right to free speech. In Oakes words, "For them to illegally cancel a contract based on a viewpoint that I made is viewpoint discrimination," Oakes said. "Besides that, it's a contractual violation."
Before the decision to cancel the deal, a petition surfaced on change.org which was signed by 15,000 persons. The petition intended to compel the Lee school district to terminate its engagements with Oakes and his company. The petition was motivated by various Facebook posts and statements in which Oakes referred to George Floyd, a black man who died in the custody of the police, as a "disgraceful career criminal” and an ex-con "thug" who was not a hero. Additionally, his statements about the Black Lives Matter movement and the Covid-19 pandemic being “hoaxes” spurred reaction and public attention. "I did not agree with the Black Lives movement," Oakes stated. "In today's society, that automatically makes you a racist."
Before the latest incident, the Lee County school district and Oakes’ firm have been doing amazingly well together. There has been an impressive collaboration between the school and Oakes’ company. "We did an amazing job. For the last five years, we've had an impeccable record," Oakes said. "We had no reason to believe that with the job that we've been doing that we wouldn't have this thing for the next 20 years."
Oakes asserted that the resolution of the school to back off from the contract agreement looks like a unitary decision taken by one of the administrators and not by the whole school board. Against this backdrop, the members of the school board have also come out to say that the deal was ended after a decision by Superintendent Greg Adkins, pictured above, his staff, and other school board members. Before the eventual termination of the contract, the district officials in June stated that the contract could be broken anytime. The report stated that the contract with Oakes Farms includes a reference to school board policy 6.071, which allows the superintendent to nullify any deal whatsoever if the condition warrants it, moreso, if it has to do with the vendor’s credibility.
In explanation of his lawsuit against Lee School District, Oakes explained, "If they break the law, they're going to be held accountable. They acted based on a small minority of people in the public that were jumping up and down.”
The school district didn't respond to Thursday's suit. “Due to pending litigation, we respectfully decline to comment,” said district spokesperson Rob Spicker. Also, Mary Fisher, the school board chair is silent on the issue.
In continued legal action, Alfie Oakes filed another lawsuit with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement against the school district officials. In the lawsuit, he accuses the school district officials of going against the Sunshine Law’s open meeting rules.
“The FDLE is reviewing the Oakes complaint, but there is no current investigation,” said Jessica Cary, the agency's public information officer”.
Debbie Jordan, a member of staff said she supports the decision of the school to quit business deals with the farm. “Reading the post was very upsetting to me,” said Jordan. She further explained that “When we say that we’re going to be committed to our values of diversity and inclusion and condemn racism in all forms, we have to stand by that. We cannot have one statement that says one thing and allow another to stand.”
Mary Fischer and others have said they had received quite an amount of petitions in the school board’s office pestering the school to take such action. The chairwoman of the school board, Mary Fischer asserted that the decision taken by the school does not need the acceptance of the board in an official board vote. However, in the case that new suppliers of products emerge, the vendors introduced by the district to ensure fresh produce would need the firm approval of the board before they commence supplies.
Meanwhile, in a statement by Oakes in a press interview, he reiterated that “it is a sad day in America when a government agency will decide who they do business with based on their political affiliation.” Oakes said, “I am against the Black Lives Matter movement because I believe in unity and rule of law and do not support the push by many in the movement to defund or disassemble police departments”. Oakes said, “it goes against my values.”
Amid his opposition to the movement, Oakes asserted he is not a racist. “I know that I’m not a racist, and every single person who knows me knows that and I respect my colleagues and employees who may be in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and I would certainly never treat them differenty because of their political views.”
“That’s the great thing about this country, we can pick which side we’re on,” he said. Adding that he is not happy to see businesses impacted by political ideologies and opinions. Oakes also spoke about how supportive the community has been to him, describing it as an “overwhelming support”.
Go to Alfie Oakes for American to learn more about how Oakes became the voice of many by refusing to enforce mask mandates and vaccine requirements for his employees and customers at his stores. You'll find information about the Patriot Talk Show, hosted by Alfie, and a blog detailing his latest activities, such as appearing on Tucker Carlson Today to explain why farming is under threat in the United States because of overseas production.
If you reside in Naples, Florida or its environs you can shop at Seed to Table for your fresh and viable farm produce, meat, fish, bakery produce and other commodities directly at the lowest price for the highest quality. Seed to Table gives you a shopping experience you won’t be in a hurry to forget. Alfie Oakes calls the 75, 000 square foot farmer’s market the most happy place in the universe for both customers and employees due to the family atmosphere with which operations are run in the store.
Seed to Table remains open thanks to support from patriotic Americans who support American owned and operated businesses. Oakes and his staff are always looking for self-motivated individuals to help keep the high standards at Seed to Table. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply on the Oakes Farms website.
Furthermore, to support Seed to Table and by extension Oakes, you can drop a favorable review of your experience at the store at Tripadvisor. Let the world know racism isn’t indoctrinated at Seed to Table and Oakes is nothing but a patriotic citizen of the free nation of America who is a legit business owner that provides the livelihood for over 600 workers. These people do not deserve to lose their source of income due to cancel culture which does not respect the right of freedom of speech but aims to arm the media against whoever does not agree with their political views or lifestyles.
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