Jim and Anne Smillie pictured with their son, Ross, with the Championship shield and certificate

The Scottish Egg Quality Awards encourage the pursuit of excellence in egg quality and benchmark standards that are realistic and achievable. The Smillie family – from Corrie Mains Farm, Sorn Road, Mauchline – were joint champions last year.

In congratulating them Dr Nick Sparks, Head of Avian Research for SAC said: "This award recognises the attention paid by the Smillies to the quality of their free-range eggs – attention to detail that is recognised by their customers and has resulted in Corrie Mains Free Range Eggs being placed first in four of the past five years."

Former East Kilbride milkman, Jim Smillie, and his wife, Anne, who are helped by their younger son, Ross, and elder son, James, at weekends, beat 21 other entrants, scoring 520 points. Entries came from both conventional cage and free-range production systems. SAC carried out quality assessments on eight key factors, shell colour, egg weight, yolk colour, albumen quality, shell thickness, freedom from meat and blood spots, external appearance and packaging.

Since first entering the competition in 1997, the Smillies have built up an impressive list of successes, taking major awards in the past four years. Their 20,000 layers are split into six flocks, providing eggs of all sizes all year round. The eggs, sold under the 'Corrie Mains Free Range Eggs' brand are graded and packed in a new, on-farm packing station. They are retailed direct to shops within a 90-mile radius using distinctive vans. There are very healthy farmgate sales in addition to a strong presence at local farmers' markets.

David Beckley, of SAC's co-sponsors, BOCM Pauls, said: "The standard of management at Corrie Mains is exceptional. They are at the top in the UK for production and egg quality and are very biosecure."

The Smillies will hold the Championship shield for a year.