I hesitate to bring this up, somebody always has an argument about it....
the federal government - be it FDA, USDA, NIH, CIA, NSA, the catfish inspectors' office (yes, there is one of those....) - with the exception of baby formula and a minor blivet for shell eggs - do not set any dates for anything food related. not sell by, not best by, not use by - none of that.
baby formula does have a federally mandated use by date.
shell eggs displaying the USDA shield must be labeled with the pack date and _IF_ and that's an _IF_ the packager _chooses_ to put a sell by or use by date on the carton in may not be 30 days (I think that's the right number....) later than the pack date. do note that the pack date could be 2-3 years after the egg was laid by the hen, there are no regulations regarding that time interval.
some states have other laws and regulations. including states which have passed laws specifically holding merchants harmless and defacto 'permitting' stores to sell stuff past its 'date' - whichever form that make take.
so, a supermarket can package up some ground beef, label it "Use by 01 Jan 2110" and leave it out forever without breaking a single "labeling" law.
but, US code does require it be "wholesome" - so selling green moldy gound beef - they'd get caught up on that one.
one can actually look this stuff up.
Food Product Dating