A process for the preparation of a 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)picolinate of the Formula I wherein R represents C 1 -C 4 alkyl, cyclopropyl, C 2 -C 4 alkenyl or phenyl substituted with from 1 to 4 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy or C 1 -C 4 haloalkoxy; R 1 represents C 1 -C 12 alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 7 -C 11 arylalkyl; which comprises the following steps: a) fluorinating 3,4,5,6-tetrachloropicolinonitrile (Formula A) with a source of fluoride ion to produce 3-chloro-4,5,6-trifluoropicolinonitrile (Formula B) b) aminating 3-chloro-4,5,6-trifluoro-2-picolinonitrile (Formula B) with ammonia to produce 4-amino-3-chloro-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) c) exchanging the fluoro substituent in the 6-position of 4-amino-3-chloro-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) with hydrogen bromide (HBr), hydrogen chloride (HCl) or hydrogen iodide and hydrolyzing the nitrile to produce a 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D wherein L is Br, Cl or I; d) esterifying the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D with a strong acid and an alcohol (R 1 OH) to produce a 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E wherein L and R 1 are as previously defined; and e) coupling the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E with an aryl, alkyl or alkenyl metal compound of the Formula F R-Met F wherein R is as previously defined and Met represents Zn-halide, Zn-R, tri-(C 1 -C 4 alkyl)tin, copper, or B(OR 2)(OR 3), where R 2 and R 3 are independent of one another, hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, or when taken together form an ethylene or propylene group in the presence of a transition metal catalyst to produce the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)picolinate of Formula I. R represents C 1 -C 4 alkyl, cyclopropyl, C 2 -C 4 alkenyl or phenyl substituted with from 1 to 4 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy or C 1 -C 4 haloalkoxy; R 1 represents C 1 -C 12 alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 7 -C 11 arylalkyl; which comprises the following steps: a) fluorinating 3,4,5,6-tetrachloropicolinonitrile (Formula A) with a source of fluoride ion to produce 3-chloro-4,5,6-trifluoropicolinonitrile (Formula B) b) aminating 3-chloro-4,5,6-trifluoro-2-picolinonitrile (Formula B) with ammonia to produce 4-amino-3-chloro-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) c) exchanging the fluoro substituent in the 6-position of 4-amino-3-chloro-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) with hydrogen bromide (HBr), hydrogen chloride (HCl) or hydrogen iodide and hydrolyzing the nitrile to produce a 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D wherein L is Br, Cl or I; d) esterifying the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D with a strong acid and an alcohol (R 1 OH) to produce a 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E wherein L and R 1 are as previously defined; and e) coupling the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E with an aryl, alkyl or alkenyl metal compound of the Formula F R-Met F wherein R is as previously defined and Met represents Zn-halide, Zn-R, tri-(C 1 -C 4 alkyl)tin, copper, or B(OR 2)(OR 3), where R 2 and R 3 are independent of one another, hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, or when taken together form an ethylene or propylene group in the presence of a transition metal catalyst to produce the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)picolinate of Formula I. a) fluorinating 3,4,5,6-tetrachloropicolinonitrile (Formula A) with a source of fluoride ion to produce 3-chloro-4,5,6-trifluoropicolinonitrile (Formula B) b) aminating 3-chloro-4,5,6-trifluoro-2-picolinonitrile (Formula B) with ammonia to produce 4-amino-3-chloro-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) c) exchanging the fluoro substituent in the 6-position of 4-amino-3-chloro-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) with hydrogen bromide (HBr), hydrogen chloride (HCl) or hydrogen iodide and hydrolyzing the nitrile to produce a 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D wherein L is Br, Cl or I; d) esterifying the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D with a strong acid and an alcohol (R 1 OH) to produce a 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E wherein L and R 1 are as previously defined; and e) coupling the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E with an aryl, alkyl or alkenyl metal compound of the Formula F R-Met F wherein R is as previously defined and Met represents Zn-halide, Zn-R, tri-(C 1 -C 4 alkyl)tin, copper, or B(OR 2)(OR 3), where R 2 and R 3 are independent of one another, hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, or when taken together form an ethylene or propylene group in the presence of a transition metal catalyst to produce the 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)picolinate of Formula I.