Bacteriological examinations for Salmonella in meat cutting plants constitute an important cornerstone in the Styrian Salmonella surveillance programme for pork production. A total of 1920 bulk wipe samples were tested in 1999. Salmonella was detected in 7 samples taken prior to retail cutting (n = 720), in one sample taken after retail cutting (n = 720) and in one of the swab samples collected from cutting surfaces (n = 480). The extrapolation from the random sample to the population of pork produced and cut in Styria showed the estimated average proportion p , of Salmonella contaminated pork to be 0.15 % S = 95 %; CI 0.12 % SpS 0.18 %. Based on these results sampling was restricted to wholesale cuts and carcass halves from 8 slaughterhouses and meat cutting plants in 2000. Testing a total of 1290 bulk wipe samples Salmonella were detected in three cases (p= 0.14%, S = 95 %; CI 0.17% SpS 0.25 %). This favourable situation, which was corroborated by serological examinations of finishing pig herds, does not indicate an urgent call for action in Styrian breeding and finishing establishments.