In an example embodiment, a crop contacting roller is provided that is driven indirectly by bale forming belts of a baler. A first roller may be driven by contact with a bale forming belt and a crop contacting roller may be rotatably coupled to the first roller so that rotation of the first roller causes rotation of the crop contacting roller. The crop contacting baler may be positioned in various positions such as to contact a bale in a baling chamber of the baler or to contact incoming crop material at a throat of the baler. In one example, the crop contacting roller is rotatably coupled to a tailgate idler roll. In another example, the crop contacting roller is rotatably coupled to a bale density roll.
