A process for the preparation of a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinate of the Formula I wherein R 1 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, and R 2 represents C 1 -C 12 alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 7 -C 11 arylalkyl, which comprises the following steps: a) contacting trifluoroacetic acid with p -methoxyaniline in the presence of a triarylphosphine and a trialkylamine base in carbon tetrachloride solvent to produce an acetimidoyl chloride of Formula A b) contacting the acetimidoyl chloride of Formula A with a 3,3-dialkoxyprop-1-yne (Formula B) wherein R 3 represents C 1 -C 4 alkyl, in the presence of copper iodide, an alkali metal iodide and an alkali metal phosphate in a polar aprotic solvent to produce an (imino)pent-2-yne dialkyl acetal of Formula C wherein R 3 is as previously defined; c) cyclizing the (imino)pent-2-yne dialkyl acetal of Formula C with an amine of Formula D wherein R 1 is as previously defined, in the presence of an inorganic alkali metal base in a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature from ambient to 100 °C to produce a 4-(4-methoxyphenyl)amino-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of Formula E wherein R 1 and R 3 are as previously defined; d) chlorinating the 4-(4-methoxyphenyl)amino-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of Formula E with 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylimidazolidine-2,4-dione (Formula F) in a polar solvent to produce the protected 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of the Formula G wherein R 1 and R 3 are as previously defined; e) deprotecting and hydrolyzing the protected 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted) pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of the Formula G with a mineral acid in a polar solvent to produce the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinaldehyde of the Formula H wherein R 1 is as previously defined; f) oxidizing the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinaldehyde of the Formula H with an alkali metal chlorite in the presence of an inorganic acid and a hypochlorous acid scavenger in an aqueous alcoholic solvent to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinic acid of the Formula J wherein R 1 is as previously defined; and g) esterifying the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinic acid of the Formula J with a compound of the formula R 2 X wherein X represents OH, Cl, Br, or I, and R 2 is as previously defined, to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinate of Formula I. R 1 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, and R 2 represents C 1 -C 12 alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 7 -C 11 arylalkyl, a) contacting trifluoroacetic acid with p -methoxyaniline in the presence of a triarylphosphine and a trialkylamine base in carbon tetrachloride solvent to produce an acetimidoyl chloride of Formula A b) contacting the acetimidoyl chloride of Formula A with a 3,3-dialkoxyprop-1-yne (Formula B) wherein R 3 represents C 1 -C 4 alkyl, in the presence of copper iodide, an alkali metal iodide and an alkali metal phosphate in a polar aprotic solvent to produce an (imino)pent-2-yne dialkyl acetal of Formula C wherein R 3 is as previously defined; c) cyclizing the (imino)pent-2-yne dialkyl acetal of Formula C with an amine of Formula D wherein R 1 is as previously defined, in the presence of an inorganic alkali metal base in a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature from ambient to 100 °C to produce a 4-(4-methoxyphenyl)amino-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of Formula E wherein R 1 and R 3 are as previously defined; d) chlorinating the 4-(4-methoxyphenyl)amino-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of Formula E with 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylimidazolidine-2,4-dione (Formula F) in a polar solvent to produce the protected 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of the Formula G wherein R 1 and R 3 are as previously defined; e) deprotecting and hydrolyzing the protected 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted) pyridine-2-dialkyl acetal of the Formula G with a mineral acid in a polar solvent to produce the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinaldehyde of the Formula H wherein R 1 is as previously defined; f) oxidizing the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinaldehyde of the Formula H with an alkali metal chlorite in the presence of an inorganic acid and a hypochlorous acid scavenger in an aqueous alcoholic solvent to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinic acid of the Formula J wherein R 1 is as previously defined; and g) esterifying the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinic acid of the Formula J with a compound of the formula R 2 X wherein X represents OH, Cl, Br, or I, and R 2 is as previously defined, to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-chloro-6-(substituted)picolinate of Formula I. X represents OH, Cl, Br, or I, and R 2 is as previously defined,