A feeder for a field crop chopper is provided which has a stationary mating knife, at least one chopping knife arranged at a cutting angle to the mating knife so as to provide a drawing cut commencing at a given part of the mating knife, and a draw-in device whose feed direction is generally perpendicular to the mating and cutting knives and which is supported directly in front of the mating knife generally parallel thereto. The draw-in device includes at least one draw-in roll which is provided with a transverse feed device which imparts a feed direction component to the material to be chopped which is axial with respect to the at least one draw-in roll and directed towards the part of the mating knife at which the cut of the material commences.