The situation
Mark Steele, a vice-president and volunteer board member for RSPCA New South Wales, has officially quit. He’s calling it quits because of a major internal beef: the organization’s 'RSPCA Certified' label. The kicker? Steele says he’s 'sincerely ashamed' to be linked to a scheme that stamps its logo on 97% of the chicken sold in Australia.
How we got here
Chicken is massive in Australia—it makes up almost half of all meat consumption, with the average person eating about 55kg a year. To keep up with that appetite, the industry relies heavily on fast-growing breeds that hit slaughter weight in just four to six weeks. According to experts like Jed Goodfellow from the Australian Alliance for Animals, this rapid growth is pushing biology to the limit, causing skeletal and heart issues for the birds.
Steele’s argument is pretty simple: when you see the RSPCA logo, you expect the bird lived a decent life. He thinks the current system gives consumers a false sense of security, effectively 'answering the question before the shopper has even thought to ask it.'
The plot thickens
The RSPCA recently updated its standards, which won't fully kick in until 2031. These changes include more space for birds and better lighting. However, the new rules don't actually ban fast-growing breeds; they just introduce an 'enhanced' voluntary category for producers who want to switch to slower-growing, healthier birds. For Steele, that’s not enough. He’s lowkey frustrated that there’s no hard deadline to phase out the fast-growing breeds that he says are causing the welfare issues in the first place.
Why it matters
Real talk: the RSPCA is arguably the most trusted name in animal welfare. By putting that label on the vast majority of supermarket chicken, they hold immense power over how Aussies shop. Until the organization commits to moving away from fast-growing breeds entirely, critics like Steele argue that the 'Certified' badge is just a vibe check that doesn't actually match the reality of the animals' lives.
