An apparatus for repeatedly separating and displacing a topmost bag from a stack of bags including a second topmost bag located immediately under the topmost bag in the stack, each one of the topmost bag and the second topmost bag extending along a displacement axis "X" defined between a first end and an opposed second end of the stack and having a separation section proximate to the first end of the stack, the apparatus comprising: a stacking table having a stacking surface to support the stack of bags; a separating manipulator engageable with the separation section of at least one bag of the stack supported by the stacking table, the separating manipulator being configurable between a bag engaging configuration and a lifted configuration to separate at least the separation section of the topmost bag from the separation section of the second topmost bag; a displacing manipulator configured to seize the topmost bag and to displace the topmost bag between a bag stack location and a second location; a stack level detector detecting a vertical position of the topmost bag of the stack of bags; and a displacement assembly operatively connected to the stack level detector and displacing vertically at least one of the stacking table, the separating manipulator, and the displacing manipulator to maintain a predetermined vertical distance between the topmost bag of the stack and at least one of the separating manipulator and the displacing manipulator; characterized in that the displacing manipulator has a prehension end-effector selectively activable to seize and maintain a displacement engagement section of the topmost bag and selectively deactivable to release the topmost bag, wherein the displacement engagement section is located between the second end of the stack and the separation section of the topmost bag along the displacement axis "X"; the displacing manipulator also having a linear actuator operatively connected to the prehension end-effector capable of displacing the prehension end-effector along the displacement axis "X" at an acceleration of at least about 5.5 m/s 2 to displace the topmost bag between the bag stack location and the second location. a stacking table having a stacking surface to support the stack of bags; a separating manipulator engageable with the separation section of at least one bag of the stack supported by the stacking table, the separating manipulator being configurable between a bag engaging configuration and a lifted configuration to separate at least the separation section of the topmost bag from the separation section of the second topmost bag; a displacing manipulator configured to seize the topmost bag and to displace the topmost bag between a bag stack location and a second location; a stack level detector detecting a vertical position of the topmost bag of the stack of bags; and a displacement assembly operatively connected to the stack level detector and displacing vertically at least one of the stacking table, the separating manipulator, and the displacing manipulator to maintain a predetermined vertical distance between the topmost bag of the stack and at least one of the separating manipulator and the displacing manipulator; characterized in that the displacing manipulator has a prehension end-effector selectively activable to seize and maintain a displacement engagement section of the topmost bag and selectively deactivable to release the topmost bag, wherein the displacement engagement section is located between the second end of the stack and the separation section of the topmost bag along the displacement axis "X"; the displacing manipulator also having a linear actuator operatively connected to the prehension end-effector capable of displacing the prehension end-effector along the displacement axis "X" at an acceleration of at least about 5.5 m/s 2 to displace the topmost bag between the bag stack location and the second location.