A process for the preparation of a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-halo-6-(substituted)picolinate of the Formula I wherein W represents Cl, Br or 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; and 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 4,5,6-trichloropicolinonitrile (Formula A) with a source of fluoride ion to produce 4,5,6-trifluoropicolinonitrile (Formula B) b) aminating 4,5,6-trifluoropicolinonitrile (Formula B) with ammonia to produce 4-amino-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) c) hydrolyzing the nitrile substituent and exchanging the fluoro substituent in the 6-position of 4-amino-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) with an iodo, bromo or chloro substituent by treating with an iodide, bromide or chloride source to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D wherein X represents Cl, Br or I; d) esterifying the 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D with an alcohol (R 1 OH) and a Bronsted or Lewis acid to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E wherein R 1 represents C 1 -C 12 alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 7 -C 11 arylalkyl; e) halogenating the 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E with a halogen source to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3,6-dihalopicolinate of Formula F wherein W and X independently represent Cl, Br or I, and R 1 is as previously defined; and f) coupling the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3,6-dihalopicolinate of Formula F with an aryl, alkyl or alkenyl metal compound of the Formula G R-Met G 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-halo-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)picolinate of Formula I. W represents Cl, Br or 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; and R 1 represents C 1 -C 12 alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 7 -C 11 arylalkyl; a) fluorinating 4,5,6-trichloropicolinonitrile (Formula A) with a source of fluoride ion to produce 4,5,6-trifluoropicolinonitrile (Formula B) b) aminating 4,5,6-trifluoropicolinonitrile (Formula B) with ammonia to produce 4-amino-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) c) hydrolyzing the nitrile substituent and exchanging the fluoro substituent in the 6-position of 4-amino-5,6-difluoropicolinonitrile (Formula C) with an iodo, bromo or chloro substituent by treating with an iodide, bromide or chloride source to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D wherein X represents Cl, Br or I; d) esterifying the 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinamide of Formula D with an alcohol (R 1 OH) and a Bronsted or Lewis acid to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E wherein R 1 represents C 1 -C 12 alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 7 -C 11 arylalkyl; e) halogenating the 4-amino-5-fluoro-6-halopicolinate of Formula E with a halogen source to produce a 4-amino-5-fluoro-3,6-dihalopicolinate of Formula F wherein W and X independently represent Cl, Br or I, and R 1 is as previously defined; and wherein W and X independently represent Cl, Br or I, and R 1 is as previously defined; and f) coupling the 4-amino-5-fluoro-3,6-dihalopicolinate of Formula F with an aryl, alkyl or alkenyl metal compound of the Formula G R-Met G 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-halo-5-fluoro-6-(substituted)picolinate of Formula I.