Baler with NIR sensor in plunger face

A baling system operable to receive loose material, form the loose material into an individual charge, and compress the individual charge with one or more other charges to form a bale. The baling system includes a forming chamber and a plunger operable to move in a reciprocating manner within the forming chamber from a front-dead-center position in which a plunger face is furthest re) from the bale to a rear-dead-center position in which the plunger face contacts and compresses the bale. The system includes a feeder component operable to pre-compress the loose material to form the individual charge and then move the individual charge into the forming chamber, the feeder component including a feeder chute having a feeder chute outlet connected to the forming chamber. The feeder component is operable to pre-compress the loose material into the individual charge and then move the individual charge into the forming chamber for compression by the plunger into the bale. The system includes a moisture sensor operable to determine a moisture content of the individual charge in the feeder chute, wherein at least a portion of the moisture sensor is positioned in the plunger face. In one embodiment, the moisture sensor is a near infra-red sensor operable to use near infra-red radiation to determine the moisture content.