A breather air and food product fines pumping system for a reciprocating mold plate food product forming machine pumps air and fines to a collection area. A pumping surface is provided by a rearward facing surface of the mold plate. A pumping chamber is arranged between the pumping surface and a food product fines collection area. The rearward facing surface of the mold plate defines a movable limit of the pumping chamber. A valve element of a first valve is arranged between the pumping chamber and the collection area to create suction in the pumping chamber when the rearward facing surface of the mold plate is moving forward, and to allow the pumping chamber to pump air and fines into the collection area when the rearward facing surface of the mold plate is moving rearward. Breather holes in a breather plate are in communication with a breather passage that is in communication with the pumping chamber and with outside air through further valve arrangements. The further valve arrangements and the first valve act to flush the breather passage with outside air to drive air and fines in the breather passage into the pumping chamber where it is then pumped to the collection area.