Farmer-deputy narrows urban-rural income gap

He then introduced his sheep in the livestreaming room and commissioned food processing enterprises to carry out fine segmentation and packaging of different parts of the sheep according to the needs of consumers. It amounted to local standardization of the mutton industry.

He also upgraded the traditional way of raising sheep, including the construction of standard sheepfolds, the purchase of modern breeding machinery and equipment, the promotion of efficient breeding technology, the application of modern technology and the internet, to improve the organizational management of sheep farms.

So far, Zhang's cooperative has raised over 1,500 sheep and 60 cows, which greatly helped increase the incomes of its members.

In early 2019, Zhang set up a company that focuses on the sale of local agricultural specialties, such as Dongxiang sheep, chicken, quinoa and Sichuan peppers. Annual sales volume reached more than 10 million yuan ($1.45 million) in 2022.

"The development of rural e-commerce is an important way to achieve rural revitalization, which can help promote the development and sales of agricultural products," he said. "It is also an important way to develop rural tourism and achieve the revitalization of rural talent."

"In recent years, many of my fellow farmers have benefited from it. Our lives have been greatly changed, and the gap between urban and rural living standards has become smaller."