A system (70) for controlling the speed of harvested crop (23) as it is discharged from a crop accumulator (20) onto a field is disclosed. The system comprising: a discharge mechanism (28) for imparting a desired rearward travel speed to the harvested crop (23) as it is being discharged from the crop accumulator (20) a speed measurement device (72) for measuring forward travel speed of the crop accumulator (20) characterized in providing a processor (76) in communication with the discharge mechanism (28) and the speed measurement device (72), the processor (76) operable to adjust at least one of the discharge mechanism (28) for imparting the desired rearward travel speed and the forward travel speed of the crop accumulator (20), to discharge harvested crop (23) with a rearward travel speed that is substantially equal to the forward travel speed such that the harvested crop (23) has a substantially net zero speed as it contacts the ground, or that the system (70) alerts an operator to adjust at least one of the discharge mechanism (28) to impart the rearward travel speed and the forward travel speed of the crop accumulator (20), to discharge harvested crop (23) with a rearward travel speed that is substantially equal to the forward travel speed such that the harvested crop (23) has a substantially net zero speed as it contacts the ground.
