A bale identification assembly includes binding material (52) used by a knotter system to bind a formed bale (14), the binding material (52) comprising identification tags (62) at spaced intervals along the binding material. A read module (66) transmits interrogator signals and also receives authentication replies from the identification tags. A position sensor is used to predict passage of identification tags (62) through the knotter mechanism and a bale length sensor provides a signal representing bale length. A controller receives signals from the bale length sensor and the position sensor and generates a signal to alter the length of the bale (14) by causing an additional flake to be added to the bale by the plunger (34) or the bale to be finished with fewer flakes to prevent the knotter system from tying a knot in the binding material such that the identification tag is positioned in a portion of the binding material used to form the knot.
