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. <EOS>