Key facts
- RSPCA NSW vice-president Mark Steele resigned, citing concerns over chicken welfare standards.
- Steele expressed shame over the RSPCA brand being used to certify 97% of Australian meat chickens.
- Most Australian meat chickens are fast-growing breeds that reach slaughter weight in four to six weeks.
- Animal welfare experts state rapid growth can cause cardiovascular, skeletal, and dermatological problems.
- RSPCA NSW recently upgraded its welfare standards for chicken meat, effective January 1, 2031.
- The new standards do not mandate phasing out fast-growing breeds but introduce an optional 'enhanced' category.
Mark Steele, the vice-president of RSPCA New South Wales, has resigned from his position, stating he is "sincerely ashamed" of the animal welfare standards associated with RSPCA-certified chicken. Steele, who also served as a non-executive director of RSPCA Australia until March, expressed his dissatisfaction with the RSPCA's trusted brand being used to certify the welfare of 97% of Australian meat chickens.
He argued that consumers would reasonably expect the RSPCA logo to signify a good life and humane death for the birds, which he believes is not the case for the predominantly fast-growing breeds used in Australia. These breeds, which reach slaughter weight in four to six weeks, can experience health issues due to their rapid growth, according to animal welfare experts.
Jed Goodfellow of the Australian Alliance for Animals noted that slower-growing breeds are used internationally and that the cost increase is not prohibitive. He pointed to Europe, where consumers increasingly choose healthier, slower-growing options.
Steele's resignation follows recent upgrades to RSPCA's animal welfare standards for chicken meat, set to be implemented by January 1, 2031. These changes include reduced stocking densities, variable lighting, and the phasing out of electrical water bath stunning. However, the new standards do not mandate the elimination of fast-growing breeds, instead introducing a voluntary "enhanced" category that encourages producers to adopt slower-growing alternatives. Steele criticized this approach as a "small step forward," arguing that the lack of a firm deadline for phasing out fast-growing breeds allows the RSPCA brand to mask the welfare issue for consumers.