A co-founder of the outdoor brand YETI is among the owners of a sprawling West Texas ranch that has begun facilitating activities related to the Trump administration’s planned border wall in the Big Bend region, according to reporting by Marfa Public Radio.
The outlet reported Thursday that Ryan Seiders, co-founder of YETI, is one of several owners connected to the Moody Bennett Ranch, a large property spanning parts of Presidio, Jeff Davis and Hudspeth counties and located along the planned path of the proposed border wall.
According to Marfa Public Radio’s reporting, the ranch has recently become involved in preparations for wall construction by Barnard Construction, one of the contractors awarded federal contracts for the project. The company has reportedly moved heavy equipment to the property and entered into an agreement to obtain sand and gravel from the ranch for use in construction.
Presidio County Commissioner Deirdre Hisler told Marfa Public Radio that ranch owners are cooperating with contractors on multiple fronts, including potential worker housing, staging areas and wall construction activities.
“There is currently a mud pit and heavy equipment on the ranch,” Hisler told the outlet, adding that Barnard is preparing material staging areas and surveying for construction.
The Moody Bennett Ranch sits at the end of Chispa Road, one of the few public roads leading to the border in the region and a corridor identified as significant to the wall project.
Marfa Public Radio reported that county property records show a company called Trans Pecos Ice LLC purchased the ranch in 2023. Texas Secretary of State filings reviewed by the outlet list Seiders and other individuals as members of the LLC. Additional state filings reportedly tie Seiders to the company through related business entities.
The ranch’s involvement is notable because of both its location and natural resources. According to the report, the property includes roughly 12 to 15 miles of Rio Grande frontage and access to groundwater resources that could be used for construction and dust suppression.
YETI, headquartered in Austin, has marketed itself around conservation and outdoor recreation and has featured the Big Bend region in past branding and promotional efforts, including products commemorating Big Bend National Park.
Neither YETI nor Seiders responded to requests for comment, according to Marfa Public Radio.
The report comes as opposition to the planned border wall in the Big Bend region continues among residents, environmental advocates and tourism stakeholders, who argue the project could harm wildlife migration, dark skies, cultural resources and the region’s tourism economy.
Marfa Public Radio also reported that Seiders serves on the advisory board of the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, an organization whose director has previously spoken publicly about concerns regarding the wall’s potential effects on wildlife.
Federal officials have said portions of the Big Bend border wall project could begin installation later this year, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection continuing to secure access agreements with landowners in the affected corridor.
