Ottar Befring

{{Short description|Norwegian politician (1939–2023)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

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|name = Ottar Befring

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|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1939|11|19}}

|birth_place = Jølster, Norway

|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2023|10|09|1939|11|19}}

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|citizenship = Norway

|nationality = Norwegian

|party = Labour Party

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|profession = Politician

|order =

|office = Governor of Møre og Romsdal

|term_start = 2002

|term_end = 2009

|predecessor = Alv Jakob Fostervoll

|successor = Lodve Solholm

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Ottar Befring (19 November 1939 – 9 October 2023) was a Norwegian lawyer and politician. He served as the County Governor of Møre og Romsdal county from 2002 until 2009.

Befring began his career in the armed forces of Norway in 1958. In 1966, he graduated from the Norwegian Military Academy and became an officer and served until 1978. After his retirement from the military, he moved back to the family farm in Stardalen in Jølster. As a farmer, he became involved in the local politics, eventually winning a seat on the local municipal council and the Sogn og Fjordane county council as well.

From 1992 to 1997, he worked at the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture. In 1998, he became the agriculture director for Møre og Romsdal county. In 2002, he was appointed to be the County Governor of Møre og Romsdal county. He served as governor until his retirement in 2009.{{cite news|newspaper=NRK Møre og Romsdal|language=Norwegian|accessdate=25 March 2019|url=https://www.nrk.no/mr/ottar-befring-ny-fylkesmann-i-more-og-romsdal-1.228632|title=Ottar Befring ny Fylkesmann i Møre og Romsdal|date=31 August 2001}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://snl.no/Ottar_Befring|title=Ottar Befring|editor-first=Arild|editor-last=Aspøy|accessdate=25 March 2019|date=23 January 2015|encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |language=Norwegian}}

Ottar Befring died on 9 October 2023, at the age of 83.[https://www.abcnyheter.no/nyheter/norge/2023/10/13/195954473/ottar-befring-er-dod Ottar Befring er død] {{in lang|no}}