An apparatus (32) and method is provided for distributing crop material onto a cleaning sieve (24) of an agricultural combine (10). The method includes providing at least one sensor (42, 48) configured and operable for sensing information representative of at least one of a quantity of grain associated with the crop material distributor (22) and an inclination angle associated with the crop material distributor (22), and outputting signals representative thereof. The method includes providing a crop material distributor (22) disposed between a threshing system (16) of the combine (10) and the sieve (24), for distributing crop material from the threshing system (16) generally evenly onto the sieve (24). The method includes providing an apparatus (32) operably associated with the distributor (22) for controllably distributing crop material onto the sieve (24). The method includes controlling a position of the apparatus (32) as a function of signals from the at least one sensor (42, 48).
