A combine with a spreader for conveying crop residue rearwardly from a chopper rotor assembly (60, 204), the spreader comprising: a frame coupled to a rear portion of the combine, the frame including a top portion adapted to receive a portion of crop residue during a harvesting operation; an impeller comprising one or more blades for rot conveying crop residue rearwardly; an actuator controllably moved between an extended position and a retracted position, the actuator being pivotally coupled to the combine; a linkage assembly pivotally coupled to the actuator at one end and to the frame at another end; wherein the spreader is disposable in a first position when the actuator is in the extended position, and the spreader is disposable in a second position when the actuator is in the retracted position; wherein a movement from the extended position to the retracted position induces pivotal movement of the spreader from the first position to the second position; wherein, in the second position, an accumulation of crop residue on the top portion falls off therefrom, wherein the spreader comprises a control system with an ECU for controlling the actuator between its extended and retracted positions, characterized in that the ECU is adapted to control actuator movement and thereby operably control the spreader between its first position and second position based upon one of: a sensor configured to detect an amount of crop residue collecting on the top portion of the spreader, a sensor coupled to the ECU adapted to determine when the combine is not harvesting and/or the spreader is not spreading, and time intervals indicating how long the combine has been harvesting. a frame coupled to a rear portion of the combine, the frame including a top portion adapted to receive a portion of crop residue during a harvesting operation; an impeller comprising one or more blades for rot conveying crop residue rearwardly; an actuator controllably moved between an extended position and a retracted position, the actuator being pivotally coupled to the combine; a linkage assembly pivotally coupled to the actuator at one end and to the frame at another end; wherein the spreader is disposable in a first position when the actuator is in the extended position, and the spreader is disposable in a second position when the actuator is in the retracted position; wherein a movement from the extended position to the retracted position induces pivotal movement of the spreader from the first position to the second position; wherein, in the second position, an accumulation of crop residue on the top portion falls off therefrom, wherein the spreader comprises a control system with an ECU for controlling the actuator between its extended and retracted positions, characterized in that the ECU is adapted to control actuator movement and thereby operably control the spreader between its first position and second position based upon one of: a sensor configured to detect an amount of crop residue collecting on the top portion of the spreader, a sensor coupled to the ECU adapted to determine when the combine is not harvesting and/or the spreader is not spreading, and time intervals indicating how long the combine has been harvesting. a sensor configured to detect an amount of crop residue collecting on the top portion of the spreader, a sensor coupled to the ECU adapted to determine when the combine is not harvesting and/or the spreader is not spreading, and time intervals indicating how long the combine has been harvesting.