Political offices
2008-        Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Jens Stoltenberg’s second Government
2008-        Acting Leader, Centre Party
2007-2008 Parliamentary Leader of the Centre Party in the Storting
2005-2007 Deputy Parliamentary Leader of the Centre Party in the Storting
2005-2009 Member no. 3 of the Storting, representing Nord-Trøndelag
2003-        First Deputy Chairman, Centre Party central party organisation
2001-2005 Deputy Member no. 1 of the Storting, representing Nord-Trøndelag
2000         Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Fisheries
1997-1999 Deputy Mayor, Vikna Municipality
1993-1997 Deputy Member no. 1 of the Storting, representing Nord-Trøndelag
1993-1997 First Deputy Chairman, Centre Party central party organisation
1992-1997 Mayor, Vikna Municipality
1989-1993 Deputy Member no. 4 of the Storting, representing Nord-Trøndelag
1985-1986 Political Adviser, Ministry of Fisheries

Membership of Storting Standing Committees and delegations
2007-2008 Member of the Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee
2007-2008 Member of the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs 
2007-2008 Member of the Election Committee
2005-2007 Chairman of the Standing Committee on Business and Industry
2005-2009 Deputy Member of the Storting delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Education 
1977-1982 Cand.oecon. degree (M. Sc. in Economics), University of Oslo, Department of Economics
1972-1975 Ytre Namdal Upper Secondary School (mathematics and natural sciences curriculum) 
1970-1972 Rørvik State Lower Secondary School
1962-1970 Rørvik School