Mark Trenchard

Beyond the Field – Rethinking Ag Films for a Circular Future

Mark Trenchard, Business Development Manager, Charter Next Generation

Agricultural plastics have long posed sustainability challenges — but real change is possible when circularity is designed into the process from the start. Over the past five years, Charter Next Generation (CNG) has led the way by developing ag films for soil contact mulches, fertilizer bags, field-pack solutions with end-of-life solutions in mind. To close the loop, CNG also supports the infrastructure, partnerships, and product innovations to enable full-circle recovery.

This presentation shares our journey from early pilots to scaled product applications using post-consumer resin — including slip sheets, floor protection, and retail-ready can liners. We’ll explore what we’ve learned from field collections, the limits and opportunities in flexible film recycling, and the power of leveraging a broader market network.

Circularity in agriculture is no longer just a concept — it’s starting to take shape. The path is clear and scaling it will take continued collaboration across the value chain.

Mark Trenchard is a seasoned packaging industry professional with over 20 years of experience spanning startups, multinational corporations, and family-run businesses. He began his career by launching an innovative packaging startup during university, later moving into a leadership role as Australasian Marketing Manager at Bemis, where he guided strategic product development and marketing across Australia and New Zealand.

Driven by a passion for innovation and sustainability, Mark returned to his family business and co-founded and co-invented Solar Shrink, a groundbreaking mulch film that shrinks in the sun, now recognized as the world’s most sustainable, high performance agricultural mulch film. Under his direction, Solar Shrink helped set new benchmarks in eco-friendly farming solutions.

Currently, Mark serves as Business Development Manager for Agricultural Films at Charter Next Generation, one of North America’s leading specialty film manufacturers. He is focused on expanding the impact of sustainable ag films in the U.S. market and beyond, combining deep technical knowledge with strong client partnerships and a hands-on, solutions-driven approach.