A closing wheel assembly for an agricultural planter row unit. The closing wheel assembly includes a pivot arm having a forward end pivotally mounted to a frame of the planter row unit. A first closing wheel is rotatably supported by the pivot arm about a first axis of rotation. A second closing wheel is rotatably supported by the pivot arm about a second axis of rotation. An actuator applies a force on the pivot arm rearward of the first and second axes of rotation to modify a force between the closing wheels and the soil surface.