Abstract: The invention is a field onion topping machine with a front-end gathering and lifting assembly 16 which delivers onions to a transport assembly 25 and a substantially horizontal cutting table 26 provided by a moving chain conveyor 15. A fan 17, spaced apart from beneath the cutting table 26 but being connected to beneath the cutting table 26 by suitable ductwork 18, blows a stream of air up through conveyor chain 15 in the area of the cutting table 26, lifting and extending the tops, but not the bulbs of the onions on the chain, into cutter member 27 where the tops are removed and blown out discharge chute 19 by the same stream of air. Onions with their tops removed exit at the back of the machine via discharge assembly 20.