Some of my extended family raise longhorns in Texas for tax dodge ("working farm") and social validation reasons. They are definitely obese, redneck Americans who chew tobacco and are months away from their latest stroke, heart attack, and/or cancer.

That's great for you. However, your extended longhorn family is not the only group of people that eats meat, and you come across poorly for making a straw man portrayal otherwise.

I question whether people who make such remarks have ever met a farmer.

I really dislike this method of trying to attain one's vision; wantonly throwing around absolutes and creating enemies out of neighbours. It's hubris personified.