In a forage harvester with a reversing gear (7) controlled by an auxiliary power transmitter (9) and with a holding-down device (11) which can likewise be lifted out by means of an auxiliary power transmitter (14), the two auxiliary power transmitters (9, 14) are actuated by a common switch (19). This ensures that the actuation of the reversing gear (7) and the control of the holding-down device (11) take place jointly and simultaneously. To increase the passage between the holding-down device (11) and the pick-up drum (5), it is proposed that the holding-down device (11) be both pivoted and displaced forwards during the reversing operation. <IMAGE>
