A pump priming apparatus including a housing through which fluid object material may be urged to flow, the housing including an intake portion and a pumping portion downstream from the intake portion. The apparatus further includes a piston assembly carried for reciprocation in the housing, the piston assembly and the housing being configured such that a partial vacuum is developed in the pumping portion of the housing as the piston assembly moves through the pumping portion of the housing toward the intake portion of the housing and such that the partial vacuum is substantially released upon the movement of the piston assembly into the intake portion of the housing, thereby causing the fluid object material in the intake portion of the housing to flow into the pumping portion of the housing.